Britain clears Merck's pill to treat Covid-19: here's all you need to know about molnupiravir

Britain has granted a conditional authorisation to Merck’s molnupiravir, which is the first pill shown to successfully treat Covid-19.

Britain has become the first country to clear the treatment, although it was not immediately clear how quickly the pill would be available. Molnupiravir is also pending review at regulators in the US, the European Union and elsewhere. 

The pill was licensed for adults 18 and older who have tested positive for Covid-19 and have at least one risk factor for developing severe disease, such as obesity or heart disease.

Molnupiravir, is intended to be taken twice a day for five days by people at home with mild to moderate Covid-19.

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An antiviral pill that reduces symptoms and speeds recovery could prove groundbreaking, easing caseloads on hospitals and helping to curb outbreaks in poorer countries with fragile health systems.

It would also bolster the two-pronged approach to the pandemic: treatment, by way of medication, and prevention, primarily through vaccinations.