BuzzFeedNews: “Even though there’s now a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine for people 5 or older, treatments are still desperately needed for the millions of people who continue to get sick. One major goal has been to have an effective COVID treatment that’s as easy as taking a pill. Now, finally, new oral medications for COVID-19 are almost here. The FDA will decide on Nov. 30 if Merck will get an emergency use authorization for a COVID pill called molnupiravir. Pfizer also submitted a request to the FDA for emergency use authorization for a second antiviral pill marketed under the brand name Paxlovid. Clinical trials for the two medications purport to show a 50% to 89% reduction in the risk of being hospitalized or dying due to COVID if taken soon after symptoms start. If the real-world results are as good as the clinical trials (they aren’t always), these pills could be an actual game changer when it comes to protecting against hospitalization and death due to the respiratory virus…”