Does Paxlovid prevent Long COVID?

Yes, treatment with Paxlovid’s active ingredient, nirmatrelvir, showed a reduced risk of long COVID, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Paxlovid’s nirmatrelvir reduced the risk of Long COVID in people who were unvaccinated, vaccinated, and boosted, in people with their first SARS-CoV-2 infection and for reinfection. Compared to the control group, the nirmatrelvir group had a statistically significant reduction in long COVID affecting the cardiovascular system (dysrhythmia and ischemic heart disease), blood clotting, and hematologic disorders (pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis), fatigue and malaise, liver disease, acute kidney disease, muscle pain, neurologic system (neurocognitive impairment and dysautonomia), and shortness of breath.

The study looked at the risk of Long COVID in patients treated with nirmatrelvir in the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection who had at least 1 risk factor for progression to severe COVID-19 illness, and compared the risk of Long COVID in patients who had no treatment.

There is still much to learn about long COVID, and many studies are underway to learn how to improve future prevention, testing, and treatment of Long COVID.

Paxlovid is FDA-approved for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in adults who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. Paxlovid is not approved for the reduction of long COVID or for use as pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of COVID-19.

What is Long COVID?

Long COVID is also known as Post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) and Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).

Long COVID is a wide range of health problems (new, returning, or ongoing) that people can experience 4 or more weeks after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Most people seem to recover quickly and completely from COVID-19; however, some patients have symptoms that last or start weeks or even months after the infection has passed, even when the infection has no symptoms.

The definition of Long COVID by the National Research Action Plan on Long COVID by the Department of Health and Human Services is National Research is

“Long COVID is broadly defined as signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after initial COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 infection. The signs, symptoms, and conditions are present four weeks or more after the initial phase of infection, may be multisystemic, and may present with a relapsing– remitting pattern and progression or worsening over time, with the possibility of severe and life-threatening events even months or years after infection. Long COVID is not one condition. It represents many potentially overlapping entities, likely with different biological causes and different sets of risk factors and outcomes.”

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What are the symptoms of Long COVID?

People with Long COVID can have a wide range of symptoms that can last weeks, months, or even years after infection. The symptoms can even go away and then return again. Long COVID can last weeks, months, or years after COVID-19 illness. Long COVID does not affect everyone the same way.

Long COVID most commonly reported symptoms are:

General Long COVID symptoms

• Tiredness that interferes with daily life and regular activities
• Tiredness that gets worse after physical activity or mental effort
• Fever

Breathing and heart symptoms

• shortness of breath or problems breathing
• Cough
• Pain in your chest
• Fast heartbeat or pounding heart (heart palpitations)

Brain and nerve symptoms

• Problems with thinking or concentrating (brain fog)
• Headache
• Sleep issues
• Feeling dizzy when you stand up
• Pins-and-needles
• Change in taste or smell
• Depression or anxiety

Digestive symptoms

• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain

Other symptoms

• muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Skin rash
• Changes in your period (menstrual cycles)

Bottom line

• According to one study, nirmatrelvir, an ingredient in Paxlovid, may reduce the risk of Long COVID if patients are treated with nirmatrelvir in the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection for patients who had at least 1 risk factor for progression to severe COVID-19 illness when compared the risk of Long COVID in patients who had no treatment.
• Paxlovid is not FDA-approved to be used to treat Long Covid.
• Research is still ongoing to learn more about prevention, testing, and treatment of Long COVID.