Content created by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA)
Treatments for COVID-19 are widely available. If you test positive and are at risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, do not wait to get treated. Treatment must be started within 5-7 days after you first develop symptoms.
Get medication for COVID-19
There are now locations where you can get tested and, if you test positive for COVID-19, you may also be eligible to receive treatment. If you test positive at a different location or with an at-home test, you can also go to these locations to receive a prescription from a qualified health care provider and treatment on the spot if eligible. Some site also have telehealth options available.
Need help finding a place to get medication? Call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 888-720-7489).
Join a Clinical Trial
Clinical trials help researchers find better vaccines and medicines for COVID-19. Choosing to join a clinical trial is a personal decision. Talk with your doctor about participating in a clinical trial.
- Learn how you can volunteer for a COVID-19 clinical trial.
Ensuring the Safety and Effectiveness of Treatments
After a public health emergency was declared for the COVID-19 pandemic, it was determined that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could authorize the emergency use of tests, treatments, and vaccines to reduce suffering, loss of life and restore the health and security of our country.
The FDA issued emergency use authorizations (EUAs) to allow healthcare providers to use products that are not yet approved, or that are approved for other uses, to treat patients with COVID-19 if certain legal requirements are met.
- On October 22, 2020, the FDA approved use of the antiviral drug Veklury (remdesivir) to treat COVID-19.
- On May 25, 2023, the FDA approved the oral antiviral Paxlovid to treat Covid-19.
What’s the difference between FDA approval and authorization?
An approval of a new drug requires substantial scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the product and a demonstration of safety for the drug’s intended use(s). To determine an emergency use authorization (EUA), the FDA evaluates the totality of available scientific evidence and carefully balances any known or potential risks with any known or potential benefits of the product for use during an emergency.