How Much Does COVID Antiviral Pill Paxlovid Cost and Where To Get It?

Paxlovid is currently being used to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19; the treatment costs $530 per person. However, it is being distributed for free by the U.S. federal government or paid for by health insurance carriers. Paxlovid is a combination of nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets developed and manufactured by Pzifer.

Although the FDA recently authorized pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid without a prior prescription, the majority of pharmacies still require a prescription to dispense Paxlovid. 

There are three new sub-variants of COVID-19, Omicron BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. The original Omicron strain of COVID-19 has a milder version of COVID symptoms compared to the Delta strain. The Omicron BA.5 strain is the most infectious, accounting for 50% of all new cases. The Omicron BA.4 cases account for 20% of new cases. Together, the Omicron subvariants account for the majority of all new U.S. COVID-19 cases.  

There are over 1M courses of Paxlovid treatments available in the U.S. 

Our independent research using data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that, as of July 23, 2022 4:15 AM EDT, the U.S. has 1,307,706 courses of Paxlovid available (up from 1,101,933 courses recorded on May 27, 2022, and  594,525 courses recorded on April 18, 2022) across 35,725 pharmacies (up from 34,775 in May but down from 45,561 in April). 

As of December 2022, there are 1,205,943 courses of Paxlovid available in the U.S. across 37,032. In 2023, the U.S. will receive another 3.7 million courses. In November 2022, the distribution of bebtelovimab was paused because it is not expected to neutralize Omicron subvariants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1., according to the FDA. In January 2023, Evusheld is no longer authorized for emergency use

There are 20 million treatment courses available for purchase by the U.S. government via a $10.6B contract with Pfizer. 

Is Paxlovid effective at treating COVID-19?

The results published from a clinical trial of 2246 patients found an 89.1% reduction in the risk of hospitalization and death in the group that was administered Paxlovid no later than three days after COVID-19-related symptoms started. 

Although effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization, taking Paxlovid doesn’t wholly mitigate all COVID-19-related symptoms. Multiple anecdotal reports from patients suggest that Paxlovid makes them feel better, but symptoms like sore throat and mild fever still last between two and five days. 

Despite the recent research suggesting that Paxlovid is not effective for healthy adults, we found anecdotal evidence to suggest that Paxlovid does reduce the duration and reverse the symptoms of COVID-19 in vaccinated adults and those with less severe chronic conditions like asthma. 

How much is a course of Paxlovid treatment?

Each course of Paxlovid treatment costs $530. As of April 2022, the U.S. federal government has agreed to purchase 20 million courses of Paxlovid treatments and distribute them free at selected pharmacies. 

Though the cost of Paxlovid is free, the treatment requires a doctor’s order and the cost of the doctor’s visit depends on your insurance status. Read more about the cost of urgent care visit without insurance.

How many days do I need to be on the medication?

A Paxlovid course includes five days of treatment. Pfizer recommends two daily doses, one in the morning and one at night, with 3 pills in each dose. While on Paxlovid, you must consult your pharmacist and stop taking other medications that could cause drug interaction.

Where do I get Paxlovid near me? Do I need a script from a doctor?

Get a prescription from a medical provider.

To get the script for Paxlovid, you must first get tested and see a medical provider (MD, DO, PRN, PA). If determined eligible, the medical provider will write you a script and send it to a nearby pharmacy. 

• Urgent care center (get tested and script)
• Retail health clinics (CVS Minute Clinic, Walmart Health Clinic)
• Primary care physician

Additionally, you could get a Paxlovid order via virtual care and request it to be sent to a nearby pharmacy. If you don't have access to a primary care provider or don't have insurance, Mira provides unlimited $5 virtual urgent and primary care with membership starting at $45/month. Learn more.

Get Paxlovid at a pharmacy nearby.

As of June 2022, Paxlovid is available for dispensing at all major pharmacies in the U.S. Additionally, and there are multiple Test To Treat locations where you can get a COVID-19 test and receive the treatment if eligible. 

Can I just go to the pharmacy and get Paxlovid? 

At this time, no. You must obtain a prescription from a medical provider to get Paxlovid. The U.S. government has not authorized pharmacists to dispense Paxlovid over the counter. 

Pharmacy with the most courses of Paxlovid available (Updated February 2023):

Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, healthcare.gov 

What are the eligibility criteria to get Paxlovid COVID treatment?

According to the FDA, Paxlovid is available for adults and children “12 years of age and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg)] with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.”

CVS Minute Clinics’ own Paxlovid prescribe criteria require the patient to be high-risk (over the age of 65 or have severe chronic conditions).

Summary of Paxlovid eligibility:

• Over 12 years of age
• Weighing at least 88 pounds
• Positive COVID-19 test results
• High risk for hospitalization and death (this involves a chronic condition or commodity, though it is up to the provider to decide)

Though we found sufficient evidence to suggest that Paxlovid effectively treats COVID-19 and is relatively abundant in supply, getting the doctor’s order remains difficult. 

Multiple reports from patients state that they had difficulty obtaining a doctor’s order due to not being eligible for the treatment. This could be because the drug is relatively new, and most medical providers are yet to become familiar with its eligibility, hence hesitant to provide treatment. 

What should I do to get Paxlovid if I test positive for COVID?

• Determine if you are likely eligible for Paxlovid
  • Do you have a chronic condition?
  • Are you not vaccinated?
  • Have you or any of your family members been hospitalized due to COVID-19?
• If you test positive, bring your test result (either PCR or instant test) to the nearest Test to treat location.
• Be ready to explain your situation and the risk of developing severe COVID to the provider and explain how the treatment could help you.
• If you are denied treatment, stay calm and see if there is another course of treatment that could help you manage symptoms.