Paxlovid coronavirus medicine

On this page, you can assess whether you belong to any of the groups eligible for the Paxlovid treatment and what you have to do to receive the medicine.

What is Paxlovid?

Paxlovid is an oral coronavirus medicine used in outpatient treatment for people aged 18 or over and at risk of developing the severe form of COVID-19 due to illness, immunosuppressive medication, or age. Paxlovid prevents the coronavirus from replicating in the body of the infected person. The active substances in Paxlovid are nirmatrelvir (on the package: PF-07321332) and ritonavir.

The medication should be started as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms and within 5 days at the latest. Paxlovid interacts with different drugs. Before starting the treatment, your other medication must be checked to exclude an interaction. The duration of the treatment is 5 days. Paxlovid is offered to you free of charge.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has determined the extended target groups for the new coronavirus medicine Paxlovid.

You may receive the medicine if

you are aged 18 or over and
you have a coronavirus infection that has been diagnosed in a PCR or antigen coronavirus test conducted in a laboratory (book a time for the test in the koronabotti.hus.fi service) and
any symptom or symptoms of the coronavirus disease (check the symptoms here) and
you belong to one of the groups listed below.

NB! A previous COVID-19 infection is considered equivalent to one vaccine dose.

You cannot get the medicine if

you are under 18 years old
you are pregnant (Note! Breastfeeding does not prevent you from getting the medicine, but you must discontinue breastfeeding for the duration of the treatment and for an additional 7 days after taking the last tablet.)
you are hypersensitive to the active substances or the excipients (you will find the product label here)
you have severe hepatic insufficiency (such as Child-Pugh Class C)
you have severe renal insufficiency (eGFR below 30ml/min), also includes dialysis patients
you take a medicine that interacts with the drug ingredients of Paxlovid (drug interaction) according to a physician assessment.

Target groups for the medication among certain patients monitored in specialized medical care at HUS

Check below if you belong to any of the target groups for Paxlovid medication and assess if you are at risk of thrombosis due to coronavirus. The Paxlovid medication should be started as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms and within 5 days from their onset at the latest. See the contact information below.

Patients in target group 1: Contact the specialized healthcare unit responsible for your care or the HUS region’s centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Patients in target groups 2–4: Contact the HUS region’s centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

1. Severe immune system disorders and cancer patients

You must be aged 18 or over. You vaccination background does not affect starting the medication.

Hematological patients

Less than 6 months from autologous intensive treatment
Treatment of acute leukemia or less than 6 months from the end of the treatment
SAA and less than 6 months from the ATG treatment
Less than 1 year from anti-CD20 antibodies (rituximab, ofatumumab, obinutuzumab) or your immunoglobulin levels have remained low after your previous rituximab therapy.
Myeloma under active treatment
BTKI (ibrutinib)
CAR-T cell treatment within the past 12 months
The spleen has been removed or severe hyposplenism
Allogenous stem cell transplantation on the following conditions:
- the patient does not take cyclosporine, tacrolimus or everolimus medication and
- less than 12 months has passed from the transplantation or
- more than 12 months has passed from the transplantation and the immunosuppressive medication continues

Contact the Hematology Outpatient Clinic at Comprehensive Cancer Center at 09 471 71600 during office hours, and Hematology Ward 7A at 09 471 77580 on weekends / public holidays.

Other cancer patients

Less than 6 months from autologous intensive treatment
CAR-T cell treatment within the past 12 months
The spleen has been removed or severe hyposplenism
Less than 1 year from anti-CD20 antibodies (rituximab, ofatumumab, obinutuzumab) or your immunoglobulin levels have remained low after your previous rituximab therapy.
immunosuppressive cytostatic treatments: patients receiving immunosuppressive medication. In this case, the treatment unit will assess the advantages and disadvantages of the Paxlovid treatment. This group does not include persons who receive medication that does not weaken their immune defence. For example, hormonal adjuvant therapy for breast cancer or immuno-oncological treatment without cytostatic drugs are such medications.

On weekdays during office hours, contact the unit responsible for your care. If you get symptoms outside office hours, seek an assessment at the emergency clinic as normal, based on how you are feeling. If you feel well, contact your treatment unit on the following working day, but bear in mind that the treatment must be started within 5 days from the beginning of the symptoms. Sat–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m., contact the centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688. They will consult Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Cancer that is actively treated (cancer or therapy that severely compromises the immune system).

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

Rituximab therapy within 6 months for any disease, or your immunoglobulin levels have remained low after your previous rituximab therapy.

An exception to this are cancer and rheumatoid disease patients who have received rituximab within 12 months: they belong to the Paxlovid target group. See instructions under Patients monitored in Comprehensive Cancer Center

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

severe inherited antibody deficiency (such as CVID, XLA and combined immune deficiencies) and APECED syndrome
HIV and the level of CD4 helper cells is below 0.200

Patients monitored by the Infectious Diseases Outpatient Clinic at HUS Triangle Hospital:
Contact the centralized telephone service of the Inflammation Center at 09 471 75200 (callback service) Mon–Fri during office hours. Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Sat–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Heart and lung transplantations: An organ transplant specialist will assess individually if you can start Paxlovid with regard to possible drug interactions.
Abdominal organ transplantations: An organ transplant specialist will assess individually if you can start Paxlovid with regard to possible drug interactions, but only if no other medication options exist.

Contact the unit responsible for your care.

2: Patients at a very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to an underlying condition

Patients over the age of 18 who have not been vaccinated or have only had one vaccine dose. Patients over the age of 60 regardless of their vaccination status, except those who have type 2 diabetes that requires medication and have received fewer than four vaccine doses.

The kidney function value GFR is 30–59 ml/min (GFR below 30 ml/min is a contraindication for Paxlovid).
Such as glomerulopathy or kidney injury related to an underlying condition.

Contact the Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

Such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD, emphysema, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, long-term bronchitis, or asthma that is treated with continuous oral cortisone medication.

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

3. Patients at a risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to an underlying condition

Patients at a risk of severe illness from COVID-19 due to an underlying condition
Patients over the age of 40 who have not been vaccinated or have only had one vaccine dose.

Exception: With morbid obesity (BMI over 40), also persons under the age of 40 who have not been vaccinated or have only had one vaccine dose are included in the target group.

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

Such as cardiac insufficiency, coronary artery disease, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, pulmonary embolism, and pulmonary hypertension.

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

Such as myoneural disorder (e.g. myasthenia gravis), ALS, muscle disorder.
Multiple sclerosis (MS), if you take immunosuppressive medication (this includes all medications for MS except beta interferons and Copaxone).
Other neurological diseases based on a physician’s assessment.

Contact the HUS centralized Paxlovid helpline at Pihlajalinna tel. 040 541 1688 Mon–Sun 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m.

Residents in the Keusote area: Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–4 p.m. tel. 019 226 0099. Mon–Fri 4:00–8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. on weekends and weekday holidays, contact center for doctor and nurse appointments: tel. 019 226 0505.

If you have oral cortisone medication or other medication weakening your immune system (cytostatic drug treatment, biological medicines or other immunosuppressive medicines) because of your illness and you have a disease, such as

a rheumatic disease such as ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, vasculitis, a systemic rheumatic disease (e.g. SLE, myositis, systemic sclerosis, MCTD), or

a bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, other autoimmune bowel disease, or

skin disease, such as psoriasis, severe atopy, vasculitis, or other autoimmune skin disease, or

other autoimmune disease