The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Thursday approved the conditional use of Pfizer’s antiviral pill, Paxlovid, for the treatment of adults at risk of serious Covid infection, as Europe seeks to strengthen its arsenal to combat the Omicron variant.

The approval by EMA allows the EU Member States to develop and distribute the medicinal product. Italy, Germany, and Belgium are among the few EU countries to have already pre-purchased Paxlovid.

The United States has already approved the use of both Merck and Pfizer drugs since December.

Merck’s pill is also under review by the EMA, but it will take longer to be approved because the company revised its test data in November.

also read

Artist creates amazing tattoo based on Greek mythology (video)