'If it's COVID, Paxlovid'? For many, it should be easier to get. Here's what to know about antivirals

The commercials make it sound so simple: "If it's COVID, Paxlovid."

But the slogan, catchy though it may be, belies a harsher reality that some public health and elected officials have long acknowledged and worked to rectify: For many, getting access to the therapeutic should be much easier than it has been.

The issue is not one of scarcity, as the antiviral is widely abundant. Nor is pricing a major barrier, as Paxlovid is cheap or even free for many. Nor even is it an issue of how well it works, as studies have shown it to be highly