People Pharmacy : I took Paxlovid during the pandemic and it worked well , but today cost is outrageous !

oregonlive.com · Feb 21, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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AdvicePublished: Feb. 21, 2026, 6:00 a.m.The FDA has approved anti-viral drug Paxlovid in adults for mild to moderate cases of COVID-19 (AP Photo/Stephanie Nano)APQ. My husband got COVID-19 last fall. He has had great success with Paxlovid in the past, when he got it for free during the pandemic. This time, he was charged $800 on his Medicare Drug Plan. That seems outrageous.A. During the pandemic, the government purchased Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir) directly from the manufacturer and distributed it free of charge to most patients. Once COVID-19 was no longer considered a crisis, though, the government left pricing and distributing totally up to Pfizer.Someone without health insurance might have to pay as much as $1,706 for a five-day course of treatment. That is the retail price GoodRx.com lists on its website. Using a GoodRx coupon could get that cost down to around $1,500. According to other readers who have Medicare plus private insurance, the cost could be $700 to $800 for five days of medicine. That is out of reach for many people. Pfizer has had sales of over $25 billion for Paxlovid and more than $90 billion for its COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty).Q. My allergist told me several years ago to use Afrin for no more than three days to avoid rebound congestion. My husband’s pharmacist recently stated that it can be safely used following a break of non-use for three days (three days on, three days off).They were discussing using it to stop a nosebleed, since it works by constricting vessels in the nose. It is wonderfully effective in relieving full-on congestion for sleeping, but we use it sparingly.A. Rebound nasal congestion can occur with many nasal spray decongestants if they are used for more than several days. Intermittent use, on the other hand, is much less likely to cause that problem.Other readers have told us that Afrin (oxymetazoline) can be effective against nosebleeds because of the vasoconstricting action of the drug. Others rely on such sprays when flying to avoid ear pain on descent. Such temporary use is unlikely to cause dependence.In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their...