Watch: Britain approves anti-covid oral pill for mild to moderate patients

Britain on Thursday approved the use of Merck's antiviral pill to treat patients suffering from mild to moderate Covid-19, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced. The antiviral, called molnupiravir, works by decreasing the ability of a virus to replicate, thereby slowing down the disease. The MHRA said its trials had concluded it was "safe and effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death in people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at increased risk of developing severe disease". Based on the clinical trial data, the drug is most effective when taken during the early stages of infection and the MHRA recommends that it be used within five days of the onset of symptoms. Watch this report for more.