Are COVID-19 "Rebounds" Only Possible After Taking Paxlovid?

Antiviral treatments like Paxlovid reduce the severity of coronavirus symptoms, though they're also associated with mild resurgences of the disease. Why do these resurgences occur, and are they only possible after antiviral therapies?

By Sam Walters
Nov 8, 2022 7:10 PMNov 8, 2022 7:04 PM
Antiviral Pills
(Credit: Cryptographer/Shutterstock)

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The antiviral treatment Paxlovid arose as a common prescription among patients with COVID-19. But many recipients of the treatment reported that their coronavirus symptoms stopped suddenly, only to flare up again after a few days or weeks of reprieve. Known as "Paxlovid rebound," these flare-ups became a recurrent subject of study for infectious disease specialists.

But what do we really know about these rebounds? Why do they occur, and are they only possible among patients who have taken an antiviral treatment for COVID-19?

What is Paxlovid Rebound?

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