Minnesota infectious disease expert calls antiviral pill ‘extra tool’ in COVID-19 battle

Dr. Peter Bornstein, of St. Paul Infectious Disease Associates, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS there are two antiviral pills that could soon be available from separate pharmaceutical companies that are a "big deal" in the ongoing battle against COVID-19 and its latest variant —omicron.

"It’s very significant and the pills that are in development are probably even more effective than the monoclonal antibodies and we don’t know if they recommend one or the other, or both," said Bornstein. "And, they will be two more great tools we can use to help prevent severe illness and death."

Bornstein told KSTP as people travel over the next two weeks for the holidays, the type of group people choose to gather with will determine what sorts of precautions they should take to make sure they stay safe as the omicron variant spreads quickly across the country.

"If everybody in the group you are with are vaccinated and have been boosted and if they all have a normal immune system and nobody has special health issues, then getting together for Christmas, or any other holiday, is pretty low risk," said Bornstein.

Bornstein said omicron has proven to be far more transmissible than previous variants and the jury is still out on whether it causes more serious illness for the patients who contract it.

"More data still needs to be collected to have a clearer picture on whether omicron does not make a patient as sick," said Bornstein. "But, I can tell you its spread has put hospitals in a bad position as I have seen hospital emergency rooms with patients in hallways who get examined in waiting rooms because beds are full right now."