New York City will begin offering free antiviral medications at mobile testing sites for vulnerable residents who test positive for COVID-19, Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday.
Why it matters: Mobile testing units will now include a clinician who can prescribe the antiviral medication Paxlovid at no cost for those who are eligible.
Details: New York City's initiative, the first in the nation, will start with three mobile testing units located in neighborhoods with many working-class residents, effective Thursday.
What they're saying: "This mobile Test to Treat program will save lives today and prepares us for future waves of this pandemic, keeping more New Yorkers safe and healthy," Adams, who has noted that his COVID symptoms were mild because of Paxlovid, said in a statement.
The federal "Test to Treat" program was first announced in President Biden's State of the Union address.
The big picture: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that some people may experience a Paxlovid rebound, in which symptoms recur or a test comes back positive after someone has tested negative shortly after an initial recovery — though it's rare.
Go deeper: Few get COVID "rebound" cases after taking Paxlovid, study finds
