Shelves are stocked at some local pharmacies with COVID-19 pill

PLOVER, Wis. (WSAW) - COVID-19 pills are stocked at a few local pharmacies. Hometown pharmacy in Plover is the only store in Portage County that has the first shipment.

They received 20 courses of Paxlovid which is made by Pfizer and 80 courses of Molnupiravir which is created by Merck.

Pharmacies get the number of pills based on population size.

“I filled out the survey and then the state of Wisconsin decided based on geographical locations where to allocate the product,” said Kent Udulutch, owner and pharmacist at Hometown Pharmacy.

According to a study from Pfizer, Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalization and death by 89%.

You must have a positive test, and be prescribed the medications within five days of symptom onset. Utulutch said you also have to be someone at risk of developing severe symptoms.

“Majority of young people who get a mild case of the Omicron variant are not going to be prescribed these,” said Udulutch.

Udulutch said the pills are both authorized for emergency use. Paxlovid is for people twelve and up. Molnupiravir is only for adults. Utulutch doesn’t know when the pharmacy will get their next shipment.

“There is no charge to the patient. If it’s prescribed, if you don’t have insurance, that does not matter,” said Utulutch.

Here is a map of pharmacies from DHS that have the pills in stock.

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