Where can you get a COVID pill in Miami and the rest of South Florida? Here’s your list
Are you looking for a pill that can help you recover from COVID-19?
You might be eligible to get Paxlovid or Molnupiravir, antiviral pills that are meant to help certain high-risk COVID patients combat the illness at home.
The pills, which are under emergency use authorization, require a doctor’s prescription and can be fulfilled at pharmacies including Publix, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart.
And unlike monoclonal antibody treatments, which require injections or IV infusion, Paxlovid and Molnupiravir are oral medications. You swallow them like Tylenol. However, availability is limited.
Here’s what to know about the pills and where you can get one in South Florida:
WHAT COVID-19 PILLS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE U.S.?
Pfizer’s Paxlovid consists of two medicines (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir). The pill is for patients 12 and older who have mild to moderate COVID-19 but are at high risk for severe illness that can lead to hospitalization or death.
Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics’ Molnupiravir is for patients 18 and older who have mild to moderate COVID-19, are high risk for severe illness (which can lead to hospitalization and death) and are unable to access or use other COVID-19 treatment options.
The FDA says the pills should be taken by eligible patients as soon as possible once they test positive. Treatment should begin within five days of symptoms onset. However, the pills are not an alternative to COVID-19 vaccinations, the FDA says.
Paxlovid — two pink tablets of nirmatrelvir with one white tablet of ritonavir — should be taken twice a day for five days, the FDA says, and Molnupiravir — four capsules every 12 hours — should be taken for five days.
Check with your doctor to see if you’re eligible for the pills. Make sure to tell them about allergies, illnesses and whether you’re taking any medication, including vitamins or herbal products.
Paxlovid, for example, when taken with certain medications can cause serious side effects. You should also tell your doctor if you’re breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to get pregnant. Molnupiravir is not recommended to be used during pregnancy.
Visit the FDA’s website or ask your healthcare provider to learn more about the medications.
WHERE CAN YOU GET A COVID-19 PILL IN MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, PALM BEACH?
In South Florida, there are 20 pharmacies offering Paxlovid and three are offering Molnupiravir, according to the Florida Department of Health’s online treatment locator.
Statewide, there were 9,300 doses of Paxlovid at 220 locations and 74,000 doses of Molnupiravir at 1,032 locations as of March 8, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
More pharmacies might be added in the coming weeks as part of the Biden administration’s “Test to Treat” initiative, which is trying to make it easier for people to get the medications quickly by sending antiviral pill shipments to pharmacies with health clinics.
Here’s where you can get the pills by prescription, while supplies last, in South Florida.
COVID-19 PILLS IN MIAMI-DADE?
Publix at River Landing, 1420 NW North River Drive, in Miami — Paxlovid and Molnupiravir
Jessie Trice Community Health Center,
5361 NW 22nd Avenue — Paxlovid
Miami Beach Community Health Center North, 11645 Biscayne Boulevard — Paxlovid
Mount Sinai Pharmacy Express in Mount Sinai Medical Center,
4302 Alton Road in Miami Beach — Paxlovid
COVID-19 PILLS IN BROWARD?
Publix at the Harbor Shops, 1940 Cordova Road in Fort Lauderdale — Paxlovid and Molnupiravir
Broward Health Medical Center, 1600 S. Andrews Ave. in Fort Lauderdale — Paxlovid
PolarisRx near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, 2900 NW 60th St., in Fort Lauderdale — Paxlovid
Memorial Hospital Pembroke, 7800 Sheridan St., in Pembroke
Pines — Paxlovid
Memorial Outpatient Pharmacy in Memorial Hospital West, 601 N. Flamingo Road in Pembroke Pines — Paxlovid
PharmScript, 15491 SW 12th St. in Sunrise — Paxlovid
SpecialtyRx, 15461 SW 12th St. in Sunrise — Paxlovid
Broward Health Coral Springs, 3000 Coral Hills Drive, in Coral Springs — Paxlovid Broward Health North, 201 E. Sample Road in Pompano Beach — Paxlovid
CareOne Pharmacy
Services, 1003 E. Newport Center Drive in Deerfield Beach — Paxlovid
Memorial Primary Care/Outpatient Pharmacy Hallandale Beach,
1750 E. Hallandale Beach Blvd., in Hallandale
Beach — Paxlovid
Memorial Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy Miramar, 1951 SW 172nd Ave., in Miramar — Paxlovid
Memorial Specialty Pharmacy Services,
9571 Premier Pkwy. in Miramar — Paxlovid
Memorial Primary Care Hollywood, 4105 Pembroke Road in Hollywood — Paxlovid
Memorial Outpatient Pharmacy at Memorial Regional Hospital, 1150 N. 35th Ave. in Hollywood — Paxlovid
COVID-19 PILLS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY?
Publix at Crosstown Plaza, 2895 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach — Paxlovid and Molnupiravir
For a full list of sites in Florida that are offering the medications, visit floridahealthcovid19.gov