BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The state of Louisiana has received a limited number of Paxlovid, the first anti-viral pills for COVID-19 authorized by the FDA, according to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).

LDH said the pills have been allocated to a small number of independent pharmacies in the state and anyone who believes they would be a good candidate for this treatment should contact their provider or medical professional.

Paxlovid can be used to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients 12 years old and older and weigh about 88 pounds, according to LDH. It requires a prescription and should be taken soon after testing positive for COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset, according to state health officials.

“Prescribers should be aware of the potential for significant drug interactions and contraindications for use with certain drugs,” said LDH in a news release. “In addition, Paxlovid is not recommended in patients with severe kidney or severe liver impairment. In patients with moderate renal impairment, a reduced Paxlovid dose is needed.”

For more about this report from LDH, click here.