TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) specialist advisory panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) on Thursday (Jan. 27) specified conditions that are suitable to be treated with Pfizer's antiviral pills, known as Paxlovid, which just arrived in Taiwan on Thursday, TVBS News reported.

Chang said that three days ago Merck's Molnupiravir arrived in Taiwan, which was the second earliest in Asia to receive the COVID-19 oral pill after Japan. The arrival of Pfizer's Paxlovid on Thursday also marked the second earliest in Asia to receive the antiviral pills, after South Korea.

Paxlovid is suitable for COVID-19 patients who have mild to moderate illness, aged at least 12, and weigh over 40 kilograms, who do not require oxygen therapy, who are within five days after onset of symptoms, and who have risk factors of severe cases, which include being aged over 65, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, according to Chang.

As obesity is harder to define for youths between 12 and 17, they are considered obese if they are heavier than 85% of people in their age group.

Current treatment directives suggest treating patients who don’t require oxygen therapy, who have mild symptoms or slightly more severe symptoms, or people who have risk factors of severe cases with Remdesivir injection or Paxlovid, according to Chang.

He advised that people taking long-term medication notify their doctors of the drugs they take. He added that Molnupiravir is for people over 18 years old, but there is no clear weight restriction for the drug.