Prescription COVID-19 medications are widely available and effective for treating COVID-19. If you feel sick, act fast to test for COVID-19 and seek treatment options.
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- - - -As soon as you feel sick, test for COVID-19. If you test positive, use the options below to ask for a prescription for COVID-19 medication. COVID-19 medications are recommended for most adults and some teens. - -
Act quickly. Most COVID-19 medications must be started within the first 5 days of symptoms. The medications are currently available for free, regardless of insurance or citizenship status.
- -Options for getting a prescription include:
-If you are not able to get a prescription from your doctor, but think you should be eligible for treatment, you may still be able to get a prescription through the options below. You can also show your doctor CDPH’s recommendations on treatment.
-If you don’t have insurance or the options above don’t work:
-COVID-19 medications are safe and effective at stopping COVID-19 illness from getting serious. By stopping the virus from multiplying, they can lower the risk of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 by half or more. COVID-19 medications may also lower the risk of long COVID symptoms and may help you test negative sooner. Early evidence suggests that the COVID-19 medication Paxlovid may lower the risk of developing long COVID symptoms. These symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years after a COVID-19 infection.
- - - -Most COVID-19 medications are pills that you can take at home. The medications are currently available for free, regardless of insurance or citizenship status.
- - - - - - - -The medications work best when started as soon as possible after you start to feel sick. Most of the medications must be started within the first 5 days of symptoms.
- - - -If you feel sick, take a COVID-19 test as soon as possible. At-home test results are okay.
- - - -If you test positive for COVID-19, ask about COVID-19 medication right away. Do not wait for symptoms to get worse. Stay home and isolate to prevent spreading the disease to others. Even if you are vaccinated or have had COVID-19 before, you should isolate for at least 5 full days. Learn about isolation guidelines.
- - - -If your test is negative but you continue to have symptoms, test again 24-48 hours later. Low amounts of virus early in infection can be missed, and you can test positive a few days later.
- - - -If you have severe COVID-19 symptoms including trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, or trouble staying awake, go to the emergency room or call 911 right away.
- - - -COVID-19 medications are recommended for most adults and some teens. Everyone 12 years and older who has symptoms and tests positive for COVID-19 should seek evaluation for COVID-19 medication. A doctor will help decide which medication, if any, is right for you.
- - - -You may be able to get COVID-19 medications if:
- - - -Yes, COVID-19 medications can lower your risk of serious COVID-19 illness whether you are vaccinated against COVID-19 or not. Getting vaccinated reduces your chances of getting very sick. However, studies have shown that vaccinated people may still benefit from COVID-19 medication. Those who are at risk for serious illness, including those ages 65 and older, may especially benefit from medication.
- - - -COVID-19 rebound is a return of symptoms and a new positive test a few days after symptoms improve or you test negative. Most people do not experience rebound from COVID-19 medications. COVID-19 rebound can occur with COVID-19 whether you take medications or not. Regardless of whether rebound occurs, COVID-19 medications can prevent serious illness and may lower the risk of long COVID.
- - - -If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor. You can also refer to these helpful guidelines from the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- - - -NIH: Pregnancy, Lactation, and COVID-19 Therapeutics
- - - -CDC: Special Clinical Considerations
- - - - - - - -Use the COVID-19 Treatment Access Tool for help with finding COVID-19 medications.
- - - - -California tribal members can also use the Tribal COVID-19 Treatments Access Tool to find nearby Indian Health Care providers who may be able to prescribe COVID-19 medication.
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For more information and help with finding COVID-19 medications, call the California Department of Public Health Call Center at 833-422-4255.
- - - -The statewide call center is open 5 days a week:
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