TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The oral drug Paxlovid could benefit smokers who are at greater risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, Taiwan’s health authorities said Saturday (April 23).

The country announced Friday (April 22) it had imported the first 180,000 courses of the Pfizer drug out of 700,000 ordered. The pills are being seen as a major weapon in countering the recent surge in COVID cases, with a record 4,126 local infections reported Saturday.

While there are still agrve risks associated with the use of Paxlovid in combination with certain other drugs, smokers are expected to benefit on the condition they consult their physician first, CNA reported.

Doctors put in charge at quarantine centers and hotels will be the judges of whether patients with a history of smoking can take Paxlovid. Now that sufficient courses of the drug have arrived, the list of patients allowed to take them is being expanded.

Tests have shown that smokers are at greater risk of severe COVID. In contrast, high blood pressure without the presence of other ailments will no longer qualify a patient for Paxlovid, the report said.