Vaccines have been game changers in the fight against Covid-19, offering effective protection against even highly contagious and pathogenic strains such as the delta variant. But with many in the world still unvaccinated and cases on the rise – including among the vaccinated – it’s becoming clear we’ll need more than shots to keep the virus at bay. Here, Sam Fazeli, a Bloomberg Opinion contributor who covers the pharmaceutical industry for Bloomberg Intelligence, answers questions on the next big potential breakthrough in Covid treatments: anti-viral pills under development by Merck & Co. and other drugmakers. The conversation has been edited and condensed.
What’s the importance of antivirals and how can they help us in managing the pandemic?
