New medications to treat COVID at the onset of the infection are giving hope to doctors.

Dr. Luther Rhodes, an infection specialist with Lehigh Valley Health Network, said the tools doctors have to diagnose and treat COVID are dramatically improving.

“We are in a much better place,” he said.

Doctors now know which treatments work and which do not, so they can work from an established game plan.

The other positive improvement is the development of medications for people in the early stage of infection, Rhodes said.

“There are two good medications coming out that are very promising to markedly reduce 70% to 90% your chances of having to go to hospital, and so that’s very good,” he said.

Molnupiravir was created by Merck and Paxlovid was created by Pfizer. They received emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December.

Both medications stop the virus from replicating. Molnupiravir introduces errors in the genetic code of the COVID virus, which prevents it from replicating, according to a press release from the FDA. Paxlovid inhibits the proteins in the virus, which interrupts the virus’s ability to replicate.

Both medicines are for people with mild to moderate COVID symptoms who have a high risk of severe outcome from COVID, such as hospitalization and death.

Molnupiravir is for people age 18 and older. Paxlovid is for people who are 12 years old and older and weighing at least 88 pounds.

In order to get Paxlovid, a person who tested positive for COVID would need to call a doctor who could then call in a prescription to a pharmacy. There is no need to come into an emergency room, Rhodes said.

Prior to this medication, people were told to stay home, isolate, and only come into the hospital if they are having trouble breathing.

“That’s a bad situation for the patient,” he said. “The best thing is to not get infected and then need something to treat you.”