COVID-19 Medications

Information for the public on who can get medications to treat COVID-19 and how to access them. Health care providers should refer to Therapeutic Options for COVID-19 Patients for more information on treatment options and prescribing.

On this page:
Who should get COVID-19 medication
Antiviral therapy
    Oral antivirals
    Remdesivir (intravenous)
Monoclonal antibodies
Pregnant or breastfeeding
Cost and insurance
COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)
More information

People who test positive for COVID-19 and are at higher risk of becoming very sick may benefit from available COVID-19 medications. These treatments can help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Talk to your health care provider right away if you test positive and are at higher risk as treatments need to be started early to work best. Your health care provider will help determine which COVID-19 medication option is best for you.

COVID-19 medications are not a substitute for prevention. It is still recommended that everyone who is eligible get vaccinated and take other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Medications to Treat COVID-19 (PDF)
Handout with information on getting medications, test to treat options, and costs.

Who should get COVID-19 medication

Not everyone who tests positive for COVID-19 needs to get treated. Antiviral treatments for COVID-19 are available for patients with mild to moderate symptoms, who are not in the hospital, who have had symptoms for seven days or less, and who are at high risk for severe illness.

People can be high risk for many reasons. Some of the most common are being older than 50 years, obesity, having chronic medical conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease, being on treatment that suppresses your immune system, or pregnancy. To find a full list of factors that may put someone at high risk, visit CDC: People with Certain Medical Conditions.

If you are high risk and develop symptoms that could be COVID-19, get tested right away. If you are positive, contact your health care provider right away, even if your symptoms are mild right now. Don't delay, treatment must be started early to work.

Antiviral therapy

Oral antivirals

Oral antivirals are a pill taken by mouth for the treatment of COVID-19 in certain people.

• FDA authorization for the oral antivirals Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and molnupiravir provide another tool for treating COVID-19 in patients at highest risk for severe illness.
• Treatment is no substitute for prevention, so getting vaccinated, getting your booster when eligible, masking when recommended, and taking other steps to protect yourself and others is still very important.
• Oral antivirals may not be right for everyone. Your health care provider can help determine what type of treatment is right for you.

Where to access oral antiviral therapy in Minnesota

• Health systems and clinics
  Talk to your health care provider or local clinic about COVID-19 medications. Many health systems and clinics across the state offer COVID-19 testing, medical assessment, and prescriptions for antiviral medications.
• Test-to-Treat
  The federal Test-to-Treat program allows people to get tested (or have their home test result or test result from another provider assessed), and if positive and treatments are appropriate for them, receive a prescription and have their prescription filled, all at one location. The ASPR: COVID-19 Test to Treat Locator is available to help find participating sites.
• Telehealth
  Minnesota has a telehealth test-to-treat program where people in Minnesota who test positive with any home test can connect with a physician virtually to see if they should get COVID-19 medications. If they qualify, the provider can issue that prescription to the person’s local pharmacy, or in some areas of the state, the prescription medication can be delivered to the person’s home. This service is available at no cost. Learn more at State of Minnesota: Telehealth.

COVID-19 Medications: Oral Antivirals (PDF)
Handout summary of when oral antivirals are used to treat COVID-19.

Remdesivir (intravenous)

Remdesivir is an established antiviral drug. It works by blocking the virus from making copies of itself (replicating). Remdesivir is given through a needle in the vein (intravenously) over time, which is called an IV infusion.

Remdesivir is approved for the treatment of non-hospitalized adults and children who are at high risk for severe COVID-19. In a clinical trial, three days of IV remdesivir reduced the risk of hospitalization with severe COVID-19 or death by 87% compared to a placebo. On April 25, 2022, the FDA expanded this approval to include children at least 28 days old who weigh at least 3 kg (about 6.6 pounds) and who are at risk for developing severe disease, making remdesivir the first FDA-approved treatment for children under age 12.

Remdesivir should be started as soon as possible, and within seven days of when symptoms began, so it's important for people at high risk to connect with their health care provider if they have symptoms and test positive for COVID-19. The treatment is given as a series of three IV infusions, given once a day for three consecutive days.

Not all health care facilities can offer outpatient remdesivir treatment – patients should speak to their health care provider to see if it may be a potential treatment option.

Remdesivir is also used to treat patients who are hospitalized with more severe illness due to COVID-19. If you are hospitalized due to COVID-19, your health care providers will decide if remdesivir or other treatments are needed.

Monoclonal antibodies

Antibodies are proteins that people's bodies make to fight viruses, such as the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibodies made in a laboratory act a lot like natural antibodies to limit the amount of virus in your body. They are called monoclonal antibodies. Antibodies are usually given into a vein by intravenous (IV) infusion or into the skin by subcutaneous (SQ) injection.

Variants and effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies

There are currently no monoclonal antibodies authorized for use for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 in the U.S. due to lack of effectiveness against currently circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2. Your health care provider can help determine if another type of COVID-19 medication is right for you.

As of Jan. 26, 2023, Evusheld is no longer authorized for use due to lack of effectiveness against currently circulating variants. FDA announces Evusheld is not currently authorized for emergency use in the U.S. For more information about what you can do to protect yourself if you have a weakened immune system, go to CDC: Information for Persons Who Are Immunocompromised Regarding Prevention and Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in the Context of Currently Circulating Omicron Lineages - United States, January 2023.

As of Jan. 24, 2022, bamlanivimab/etesevimab and casirivimab/imdevimab are no longer authorized for use because they are not effective against currently circulating variants.

As of March 30, 2022, sotrovimab is no longer authorized for use because it is not effective against currently circulating variants.

As of Nov. 30, 2022, bebtelovimab is no longer authorized for use because it is not effective against currently circulating variants.

Pregnant or breastfeeding

Pregnant people and their babies are at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19. People who are pregnant should talk with their doctor or other health care provider.

Oral antivirals

There is limited specific safety data on the use of antiviral treatment for COVID-19 in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, although to date no safety concerns have been identified. Patients should discuss potential treatment options and their risks and benefits with their providers. The use of antiviral treatments for COVID-19 in pregnant or breastfeeding patients is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM).

• Paxlovid may be considered for use in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Molnupiravir is not recommended for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding due to potential concerns from animal studies on its effect on the developing baby. However, it may be used as a treatment option if no other therapies are available.

Remdesivir
Remdesivir should be offered to pregnant or breastfeeding patients if it is indicated. Pregnant patients were not included in the clinical trials that evaluated the safety and efficacy of remdesivir; however, subsequent safety reports have found that it is well tolerated.

ACOG: COVID-19 FAQs for Obstetrician-Gynecologists, Obstetrics

CDC: Considerations for Newborns and Breastfeeding

Cost and insurance

The federal government has purchased supplies of certain COVID-19 medications and is distributing them free of charge. These include:

• Paxlovid
• Molnupiravir

This means patients do not have to pay for the medication itself, but there may be other fees associated with getting the treatment that a person or an insurance company would need to pay. For example, a clinic may charge for services associated with administering a treatment, or a pharmacy may charge insurance a dispensing fee for filling a prescription. Patients may have a copay for these services, depending on their insurance type. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist if you have any questions about costs associated with receiving a particular treatment.

There are other COVID-19 medications that are not being distributed for free by the government and are available commercially similar to other types of medication. These include:

• Remdesivir
• COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)

This means there may be a cost for the medication itself, like other prescription medications you might get, as well as possible other fees associated with getting the treatment. Talk to your health care provider or pharmacist if you have any questions about costs associated with receiving a particular treatment.

Health insurance may cover most of these costs. Patients who do not have insurance may be able to find low- or no-cost treatment in their communities at a U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) health center or community health center. Refer to HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Therapeutics Program Participants for a list of centers. Additional information on Minnesota community health centers/federally qualified health centers that provide services to medically underserved and disadvantaged populations, as well as a health center locator, are available at Minnesota Association of Community Health Centers: Find a Health Center.

COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP)

On Dec. 28, 2021, the FDA updated the emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). COVID-19 convalescent plasma is the liquid portion of blood from donors who have recovered from COVID-19. The blood from people who recover from COVID-19 contains substances called antibodies, which are capable of fighting the virus that causes COVID-19.

CCP may benefit people with compromised immune systems, in which the body is unable to make its own antibodies to the virus or the patient may be taking medications that weaken their immune system.

CCP is given through an IV. Your health care provider can let you know if CCP is an appropriate treatment for you.

More information

For more information on COVID-19 testing, treatments, and vaccines, please visit COVID.gov, provided by the U.S. government.

• The COVID.gov website offers a helpline for more information, including help with navigating the federal locator website to find treatment locations. Note: this is not an MDH helpline.
  • English or Spanish: 1-800-232-0233
  • TTY (Text Telephone for hearing impaired): 888-720-7489