TURNING POINT for COVID. 5 things you need to know about PAXLOVID, Pfizer‘s new game-changing pill treatment.
1. It keeps people out of the hospital – PAXLOVID reduced the risk of hospitalization by about 90% among people who started it within three days of having COVID symptoms. This will be a huge relief to our frontline workers and to the entire healthcare system.
2. 100% lifesaver – There were zero deaths among the patients who received it in the clinical trials. Zip. Nada. Nunca.
3. It’s a PILL people – 30 of them to be exact. Unlike monoclonal antibodies which need to be administered at the hospital, you can take three pills, twice a day, over five days at home while you recover watching Netflix. Kind of like a Z-pack.
4. Variantproof – PAXLOVID doesn’t attack the part of the virus that changes most with each new variant. Because it doesn’t mess with the spike protein, scientists expect the treatments will work even as the virus evolves. Take that Omicron!
5. Just in time for the New Year – Pfizer has projected that it will produce enough doses to treat 20 million people in the first half of next year. The US has agreed to buy 10 million of the treatments and it looks like Americans will probably not have to pay much, if anything, out of pocket.
Is it FOOLproof? No.
The key is to start the pill regimen within three to five days of experiencing COVID symptoms and a positive test. I imagine the same people who were anti-vax … will most likely pass on the pill. Those people are still going to tax our health system and benefit those in funeral services.
But unlike the vaccine, the pill regimen can be implemented once you test positive. If they have a “COME TO JESUS” moment, there is a lifeline.
TAKEAWAY – PAXLOVID has the potential to turn COVID into an ordinary respiratory disease, similar to the common cold or flu. It will reduce deaths and keep people out of the hospital.
What does this turning point mean to you?
For me, it means opening up travel and in-person events in 2022. I’ve been thankful for the opportunity to do virtual programs over the last 21+ months. But as someone who speaks about creating a differentiated experience (DX), nothing replaces being “in the room” where it happens. If you know someone who is a meeting planner and/or an association executive, please share this post with them.
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Stan Phelps walks the walk. He stands out in the sea of sameness by modeling his own Differentiated Experience (DX) message: Differentiation isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you do and, more importantly, how and why you do it. Stan leverages his unique collection of 5,000+ case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with informative learning-based experiences. He believes purposeful DX wins the hearts of employees and customers, and differentiation ultimately boosts loyalty, retention, referrals, and results.
Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.