US authorises Pfizer oral Covid-19 treatment, first for at-home use

The Food and Drug Administration's decision to issue emergency authorization for the treatment comes as the US combats a surge in Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant.

The United States on Wednesday authorised Pfizer's antiviral Covid-19 pill for people ages 12 and older at risk of severe illness, the first oral and at-home treatment as well as a new tool against the fast-spreading Omicron variant.