Pfizer pill Paxlovid becomes 1st US-authorised home COVID treatment

US health regulators on Wednesday authorised the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus.

The long-awaited milestone comes as US cases, hospitalisations and deaths are all rising and health officials warn of a tsunami of new infections from the Omicron variant that could overwhelm hospitals.

The drug, Paxlovid, is a faster, cheaper way to treat early COVID-19 infections, though initial supplies will be extremely limited. All of the previously authorised drugs against the disease require an IV or an injection.

An antiviral pill from Merck also is expected to soon win authorisation. But Pfizer's drug is all but certain to be the preferred option because of its mild side effects and superior effectiveness, including a nearly 90 per cent reduction in hospitalisations and deaths among patients most likely to get the severe disease.

US President Joe Biden said the development marks a "significant step forward" on the path out of the pandemic.

Biden said his administration will work with states to ensure equitable distribution.