The Manila city government on Thursday received its order of Bexovid drug for the treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) for individuals 12 years old and above.

A total of 2,500 boxes of the oral antiviral drugs were delivered to the Manila City Hall.

“Ang nasabing gamot po ay may (The said medicine has a) 90 percent efficacy in preventing hospitalization and death in high-risk patients,” Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso said in a statement.

In January of this year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a compassionate special permit (CSP) for the treatment drug Bexovid.

It is the first generic version of Pfizer’s Paxlovid, the first oral treatment for Covid-19, and was first authorized for use in the United States.

The FDA earlier said Bexovid could help reduce risks of hospitalization and deaths by 88 to 89 percent when taken within three to five days from the onset of symptoms.

The city government continues to prepare and strive to improve its fight against the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic despite the steady decline in the number of cases since nobody can predict when and how strong its next variant will be, Domagoso said.

He added that 2,500 boxes of the initial delivery of the Bexovid drugs are good for 500 patients.

The city government has ordered a total of 5,000 boxes of the oral antiviral drug for an undisclosed amount. (PNA)