We’ve come a long way when it comes to COVID-19 treatments.
At the very beginning of the pandemic, way back when, the only thing you could do when you were diagnosed with COVID-19 was to stay at home and just pray that yours didn’t turn into a case that was scary or lethal.
There were no vaccinations and there were no treatments. Slowly but surely, new medications began to crop up.
Different doctors had different protocols for their patients, some more helpful than others. And some pretty controversial.
I know people who have taken different medications for COVID — everything from ivermectin to hydroxychloroquine to steroids and antibiotics, monoclonal antibody infusions and vitamins and minerals, too.
Sick woman lying with thermometer
But the medications that we have all been waiting for are the new anti-virals called Paxlovid and Molnupiravir.
Just in time for the new rise in cases, Stop & Shop will now offer the two FDA authorized COVID-19 anti-viral medications at its New Jersey pharmacies.
Sick man lying on sofa checking his temperature
Where to find Paxlovid in NJ
Pfizer’s Paxlovid, the more popular and well-known of the two, is an oral antiviral pill that can be taken at home to help keep high-risk patients from getting so sick that they need to be hospitalized. So, if you test positive for the coronavirus and a health care provider writes you a prescription, you can take pills at home and lower your risk of going to the hospital. It’s available at all of Stop & Shop’s NJ pharmacies.
Where to find Molnupiravir in NJ
Molnupiravir is available at select locations. And the medications are free with a valid prescription from a healthcare provider.
During my recent bout with COVID-19, I was happy to know that my doctor would prescribe Paxlovid for me and that it turned out to be readily available.
Drazen Zigic
I had a pretty severe case of Covid, and within 24 hours of being diagnosed, I took my first dose of it. It’s a heavy-duty regimen involving six pills a day — three each of two slightly different formulations.
I have no idea how I would’ve fared without the Paxlovid but I can tell you that within a couple of days the really tough symptoms were gone and I was well on my way to complete recovery.
If you are diagnosed with COVID-19, as more and more people are every day, don’t forget to ask your doctor to prescribe these anti-viral medications for you.
And the good news is, with 34 Stop & Shop pharmacies all over New Jersey, it shouldn’t be hard for you to get your hands on.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.
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