An observational study conducted by University of Hong Kong researchers has found that treatment with the antiviral drug nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, also known as Paxlovid, is associated with a 34% lower risk of all-cause hospitalization among COVID-19 patients aged 12 to 17 years. The study, published in Nature Communications, included 49,378 non-hospitalized pediatric COVID-19 patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.

Participants received Paxlovid within 5 days of symptom onset or diagnosis between March 2022 and February 2023. The outcomes of Paxlovid users were compared with an equal number of control patients. The majority of participants in both groups had limited underlying medical conditions, and approximately 75% were fully vaccinated and/or boosted against COVID-19.

In the United States, individuals aged 12 and older, weighing at least 88 pounds, with mild to moderate COVID-19, and at high risk for severe illness are eligible for Paxlovid treatment. The study found that cumulative all-cause hospitalization rates were lower in the Paxlovid group (0.45%) compared to the control group (0.68%). COVID-19 was the primary reason for hospitalizations in both groups.

The research confirmed the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in reducing the risk of all-cause hospitalization among non-hospitalized pediatric patients with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Paxlovid therapy was associated with a 28-day lower all-cause hospitalization rate, with no reported deaths, poor outcomes, or worsening conditions among participants.

Meanwhile, a separate study conducted by US researchers suggests that the sharing of Clostridioides difficile strains is common among families caring for infants. The longitudinal household study, led by researchers from Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, recruited 30 families of healthy infants at the child’s 4-month well-child visit and collected stool samples.