• The FDA on Wednesday authorized the first pill to treat COVID-19 at home 
  • Pfizer’s Paxlovid pill is available by prescription only for those with a positive test
  • Long-awaited milestone comes as US cases and hospitalizations are rising 
  • An antiviral pill from Merck also is expected to soon win authorization
  • The drugs are expected to offer a powerful weapon against the rise of Omicron