New York City is creating the first mobile testing units in the United States that will allow people who test positive for the coronavirus to immediately receive for free the antiviral treatment Paxlovid. Mayor Eric Adams announced the new program on Thursday in Manhattan with Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House Covid-19 response coordinator.
The new “Test to Treat” mobile unit program is part of federal and city efforts to reduce the impact of the virus and to prepare for future waves of cases. Health officials want to improve access to antiviral drugs for vulnerable New Yorkers who may not know about the treatment or do not have a primary care doctor or health insurance.
Mr. Adams, a Democrat who took office in January, tested positive for the virus in April and has said that his infection was mild in part because he took Paxlovid. The treatment, made by Pfizer, has been found to substantially reduce the chances of severe illness in high-risk people if patients start taking it early in the course of infection. Federal regulators authorized the drug for emergency use late last year, and on Thursday Pfizer said it had applied to the Food and Drug Administration for approval of the treatment.