The first doses of oral drugs to treat COVID-19 are sent to Michigan.

The state of Michigan received its first shipment of oral drugs newly approved to treat COVID-19 on Friday, according to the state health department.

The medications, paxlovid and molnupiravir, were given emergency use authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration in December and are only available in restricted quantities. They can only be obtained with a prescription.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has devised qualifying criteria to help health care practitioners decide which individuals to give the drugs to, according to Elizabeth Hertel, the department's director.

According to the state's Priority Eligibility for COVID-19 Outpatient Therapy, health care professionals must prioritize individuals at risk of severe COVID-19.

According to the criteria amended Dec. 31, patients who are moderate to severely immunocompromised, regardless of immunization status, are eligible for either medicine. People above the age of 75 who have not been completely vaccinated or who have not gotten a booster dose are also eligible.

Molnupiravir might be given to patients aged 65 to 74 who are not completely vaccinated, according to the health department, but it should only be used when other treatment alternatives, such as monoclonal antibody therapy, are not available or clinically acceptable.

In a news statement, Hertel added, "We encourage Michiganders to be patient as clinicians will prioritize patients at highest risk of acquiring serious disease from the virus." "We are dedicated to distributing these medications equally across the state, and when Michigan gets additional federal monies, access will expand."

The state health department said on Friday that it has received its first shipment of oral antivirals, which comprises 7,080 courses of molnupiravir, enough to treat the same number of people. Paxlovid was given to Michigan in the amount of 1,600 courses. On Monday, the department expects to get an extra allotment.

The antiviral medicines are intended for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in outpatient settings. When given within five days of the onset of symptoms, they can minimize the likelihood of hospitalization and mortality.

According to Dr. Subhashis Mitra, interim chair of Michigan State University's Division of Infectious Diseases, the antiviral medications are promising and should continue to function effectively against future virus types. However, their influence will be determined by the producers' capacity to produce them and the supply chain's readiness to deliver them.

"I think the biggest problem is just acquiring enough of them," Mitra remarked. "Hopefully, manufacturers and others will advocate for it so that everyone may have simple access to it. It's one thing to acquire approval; it's quite another to have the necessary materials."

According to Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state's senior medical administrator, being vaccinated and boosted remains the best defense against COVID-19.

"It's critical to remember that these medications are not a replacement for being vaccinated and wearing a mask in public areas," Bagdasarian added. "Vaccination is the strongest defense against serious illness and hospitalization, and we strongly encourage all Michigan residents over the age of 5 to get vaccinated as soon as possible."

"Continue to wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, test and social distance, avoid big gatherings, and be vaccinated and boosted if you haven't already."

Some Michigan individuals who are immunocompromised, have other risk factors, are 75 or older but not fully immunized can also receive monoclonal antibody therapy.

Treatment with monoclonal antibodies is preferable over molnupiravir, one of the two antiviral medications available. It is comparable to paxlovid, another antiviral.

Paxlovid is now only available through a few Federally Qualified Health Clinics, tribal health centers, and ten Meijer pharmacies in Michigan's hardest-hit southeast and east-central districts. Paxlovid is only given to patients who are at least 12 years old.

Molnupiravir is only accessible in limited amounts at Meijer pharmacies and certain retail pharmacies in areas where Meijer stores do not exist. Molnupiravir is only given to patients who are 18 years old or older.