NEW YORK POST – Vice President Kamala Harris has said she had “no symptoms” following her COVID-19 diagnosis — but some medical experts were left baffled after it was revealed she was taking an antiviral pill designed to treat patients with severe cases.
Harris’ office announced Tuesday that the vice president was prescribed and had used Pfizer’s Paxlovid following a consultation with her doctors just hours after she tested positive for the virus.
Paxlovid is designed to reduce severe symptoms among high risk patients, which has some experts questioning why it would be prescribed to a healthy, double-boosted and asymptomatic 57-year-old patient.
“Asymptomatic covid and no medical issues isn’t an indication for Paxlovid,” former Surgeon General Jerome Adams tweeted.
Jonathan Reiner, Professor of Medicine and Surgery at George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences, raised a similar issue.
“The FDA authorized Paxlovid for people ages 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds. But in order to qualify for a prescription, you must also have had a positive COVID-19 test result and be at high risk for developing severe COVID-19.
“That means you must either have certain underlying conditions (including cancer, diabetes, obesity, or others) or be an older adult (more than 81% of COVID-19 deaths occur in people over age 65). The more underlying medical conditions a person has, the higher their risk for developing a severe case of COVID-19, according to the CDC.” – YALE MEDICINE
“Why would you give Paxlovid to someone without symptoms?,” he tweeted Wednesday.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked about how Harris’ prescription appeared to be at odds with White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha’s guidance that it be given to patients with a high risk for developing a severe case.
“Well, he also said … that you should consult with your doctor, and she consulted with her doctor,” Psaki said.
“She has been given Paxlovid. That’s something many Americans may be eligible for. They should also consult with their doctor. And I think overall, we’re just grateful that this is an approved drug on the market that many people can benefit from, including the vice president.”
