Oral COVID-19 drug available in Shanghai's 113 community clinics

Azivudine, an oral drug for treating COVID-19, is currently available in 115 secondary and tertiary hospitals as well as 113 community-based clinics in Shanghai. Patients can get the medicine after they are assessed by community doctors, news portal jfdaily.com reported.

Elderly patients with underlying conditions, who have been infected within 5 days, can apply for this oral medication with medical insurance at a price of 270 yuan (US$39.23) per bottle, the Minhang District Health Commission told Thepaper.cn.

Azivudine is the first oral drug developed independently by Fosun Pharma and Henan Genuine Biotech in China for treating COVID-19. It was approved by the state drug watchdog on July 25, 2022, and was included in the 9th edition of the "Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia" on August 9, according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

"Azivudine has the potential to reduce severe COVID-19 cases, thus lowering the fatality rate, and the earlier you take it, the better the results," Professor Shi Yi of the Medical School of Nanjing University Affiliated Jinling Hospital, said.

As of Monday, Shanghai's health services had 1,711 new oxygen seats, 2,562 infusion seats, 238 fever clinics, 665 beds and 243 cardiac monitors. Meanwhile, COVID-19-related drugs and equipment are being distributed to communities to improve their treatment capacity, the Post reported.