Covid-19 Treatments

Information provided by Washington State Department of Health, Updated as of November 10 2022

People who test positive for COVID-19 and are at higher risk of becoming very sick may benefit from available COVID-19 therapeutics(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.

• The DOH COVID-19 Therapies Quick Guide (PDF) provides an overview of treatments | Available in additional languages  

COVID-19 treatments/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.

Test to Treat Program – Free and Easier Access to Treatment

The Test to Treat program can provide faster, easier access to lifesaving COVID-19 treatments. If you test positive within five days of experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, you can meet with a health care provider (either on site or virtually through telehealth), and if eligible, get a prescription for an oral antiviral treatment and have that prescription filled—all at one location. This service is available for uninsured patients with no out-of-pocket costs at participating locations.

If you are interested to visit a physical location to receive treatment and if eligible fill a prescription at the same location, visit the Test to Treat locator to find the nearest site to you. 

If you are interested to meet virtually with a health care provider to see if you are eligible for treatment, telehealth services are another option.  People who test positive for COVID-19 at home can consult a health care provider using a smartphone or computer with a high-speed internet connection. If appropriate, they can then receive a prescription for pick-up at the nearest available Test to Treat site.

Additional information on telehealth services and how to access:

• Free Telehealth for COVID-19 Treatment with Oral Antivirals
• Have You Just Tested Positive for COVID-19? (PDF)

What are Oral Antivirals?

Oral antiviral treatment help your body fight COVID-19 by stopping the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19) from multiplying in your body, lowering the amount of the virus within your body, or helping your immune system. By getting treatment, you could have less serious symptoms and may lower the chances of your illness getting worse and needing care in the hospital. 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 five days or less, and who are at high risk for severe illness

• More information: What Are Oral Antivirals information sheet (PDF) | Available in additional languages

What Are Monoclonal Antibody Treatments?

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. If you are at risk for severe COVID-19 illness and you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, you may want to consider a monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment. You may qualify for a mAb treatment (bebtelovimab) to treat COVID-19 depending on your age, health history, and how long you have had symptoms.

• More information: What Are Monoclonal Antibody Treatments information sheet (PDF) | Available in additional languages

What Is a Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for COVID-19?

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is medication designed to block a virus from attachment and entering human cells. Unlike other currently available monoclonal antibodies, Evusheld is a long-acting antibody that has been authorized for use only to prevent or protect someone before they are exposed to COVID-19. Evusheld is not for the treatment of symptoms due to COVID-19 and is not given following an exposure to someone with COVID-19; it is given to prevent infection before an exposure.

• More information: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis information sheet (PDF) | Available in additional languages

What are Intravenous Antivirals?

Remdesivir is an established antiviral drug that is FDA approved and is not currently distributed by WADOH. 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. 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.