CDC says COVID-19 Rebound Possible after Taking Paxlovid, but No Further Treatment Necessary

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns of the potential for “COVID-19 rebound” after patients take the oral antiviral drug called Paxlovid. The treatment is allowed under emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration for adult and pediatric patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for severe disease.

“If you take Paxlovid, you might get symptoms again,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. “We haven’t yet seen anybody who has returned with symptoms needing to go to the hospital. So, generally, a milder course.”

COVID-19 rebound is a return of COVID-19 symptoms or a new positive viral test (after testing negative) between two and eight days after getting better.

But the agency noted some people may experience the brief rebound of symptoms as part of the natural course of the disease and “independent of treatment with Paxlovid and regardless of vaccination status,” according to a recent CDC Health Alert Network Health Advisory.

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