Is there really a Paxlovid COVID-19 rebound?

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [COVID-19 rebounds can happen even if you don't take Paxlovid]( By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent Reports of rebound COVID-19 infections—testing positive, then negative, then positive again—among people taking the antiviral Paxlovid have started to mount. Which raises the question: what’s the likelihood of a similar rebound if you don’t take Paxlovid? That’s what a new study set out to understand. It’s not the definitive answer about how much rebound is associated with a course of Paxlovid treatment—which involves taking pills over five days—but it offers some useful insight for those making the decision of whether or not to take the drug. Here’s what the study found: - Among people who received a placebo in a large study of various COVID-19 medications, 3% reported rebound symptoms and higher virus levels within a month after their initial symptoms. - That was similar to the rebound found among those who took Paxlovid in a separate study Pfizer conducted in order to receive emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. - The bottom line: Clinical trials show that Paxlovid offers 90% protection from hospitalization and death despite any viral rebound after treatment—but we need more research to determine for sure how often rebound occurs. [READ MORE]( Share the story What else to read [A War on Pediatric Care Is Putting Children at Risk]( By  Dr. Scott A. Rivkees Doctors should decide medical treatment for children, not politicians, writes Dr. Scott A. Rivkees. [Read More »]( [Column: No, You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Fungi]( By Giuliana Furci and Merlin Sheldrake We must ensure a healthy future with fungi, not fear it, write Giuliana Furci and Merlin Sheldrake. [Read More »]( [Stop Spending Money to Avoid Uncomfortable Emotions]( By Jenn Lim Happiness expert Jenn Lim on why we misunderstand the relationship between spending money on ourselves and our emotional wellbeing. [Read More »]( [How to Help Your Body Adjust to Cold Weather]( By Markham Heid What scientific research shows on the best ways to adapt to plummeting temperatures. (Originally published in 2019.) [Read More »]( [Why Older People Love Pickleball So Much]( By Holly Burns The sport is a low-impact way to get moving, plus an avenue to socialization. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ [The ~other~ Long COVID]( What did all that missed school during the COVID-19 pandemic do to kids and teens? It’s a question that’s been tossed around a lot, but rarely answered in as much research-based detail as it is in Bryan Walsh’s new feature in Vox. The answer, based on test scores and other data, unfortunately means a lot of work for the U.S. educational system. [Read More »]( --------------------------------------------------------------- If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Haley Weiss, and edited by Elijah Wolfson. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.