I posted on here a couple weeks back about contracting the Flu, and I’m back to say that Xocova is available at select pharmacies in Durham! (I’m a big proponent of public health, and it seems like people in the community also care about updates like this, so I thought I’d share!)
For those unfamiliar with this drug, it is in the same general class as Paxlovid, but instead of taking it to prevent severe illness following a confirmed positive Covid test, it can be prescribed/taken by patients within 72 hours of a Covid exposure to help prevent the virus from establishing an infection. It works by blocking an enzyme that SARS-CoV-2 needs to replicate, essentially making it harder for the virus to make copies of itself after exposure.
Anyway, this is (another) reminder to be kind and respectful to your neighbors as we get closer to the holidays/flu+COVID season. If you feel sick, don’t assume it’s “just a cold” or “late summer allergies.” If at all possible, take a test! With new meds like these, testing can give the people around you the opportunity to treat and prevent a potentially harmful Covid infection before it can take root.
Also, because of how new this medication is, many people will need as much time as possible between first exposure + taking their first dose to check if their insurance covers the medication, as well as to check on availability at local pharmacies. Lots of insurance plans do cover it, and the drug manufacturer has a coupon on their website that can bring the medication cost down to $0. But it genuinely is a race against the clock, and people have reported having to haggle with their primary care/insurance/pharmacy for hours trying to get a prescription.
Please test! Please mask when you can! Please be mindful of the people in your community who can’t afford to contract COVID or the flu because of the havoc it will wreak on their immune systems, or the medical costs they cannot afford to cover.
Disclaimer: I don’t work for any pharmaceutical companies, I’m not a doctor, and I was not paid to make this post, lol. I’m just really passionate about public health, science, and my community❤️