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Flu antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, an inhaled powder, or an intravenous solution) that fight against flu viruses in your body. Antiviral drugs are not sold over the counter. You can only get them if you have a prescription from a health care provider. Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections. Antiviral drugs for flu only work to treat flu. Flu antiviral drugs are different than antiviral drugs used to treat other infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Antiviral drugs prescribed to treat COVID-19 are not approved or recommended to treat flu.
Treatment of flu with flu antiviral medications works best when started within 1-2 days after flu symptoms begin. Flu antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by about a day. Starting antiviral treatment shortly after symptoms begin also can help reduce some flu complications. For adults hospitalized with flu, some studies have reported that early antiviral treatment can reduce the duration of hospitalization and their risk of death.
Recommended antiviral drugs for this flu season
There are four FDA-approved antiviral drugs recommended by CDC to treat flu this season.
Generic oseltamivir and Tamiflu® are available as a pill or liquid suspension and are FDA approved for early treatment of flu in people 14 days and older. Zanamivir
Zanamivir is a powdered medication that is inhaled and approved for early treatment of flu in people 7 years and older. Note: Zanamivir (trade name Relenza®) is administered using an inhaler device and is not recommended for people with breathing problems like asthma or COPD. Oseltamivir and zanamivir are given twice a day for five days.
Peramivir
Peramivir is given once intravenously by a health care provider and is approved for early treatment of flu in people 6 months and older. Baloxavir
Baloxavir is a pill given as a single dose by mouth and is approved for early treatment of uncomplicated flu in people 5 years and older. Baloxavir is also approved for post-exposure prophylaxis (use in preventing flu) in people 5 years and older following contact with a person with flu. Note: Baloxavir (trade name Xofluza®) is not recommended for treatment of flu during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, or in outpatients with complicated or progressive illness because there is no information about use of baloxavir in these patients. Baloxavir is also not recommended for treatment of flu in hospitalized patients due to limited data.
Who should take antiviral drugs
It's very important that flu antiviral drugs are started as soon as possible to treat patients who are:
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People at Increased Risk for Flu Complications
Children
Children and flu antiviral drugs
Parents, if your child gets sick with flu, antiviral drugs offer a safe and effective treatment option. For treatment, flu antiviral drugs should ideally be started within two days after becoming sick and taken according to your doctor's instructions (usually for five days).
Children can take flu antiviral drugs, though this varies by medication. Oseltamivir is recommended by CDC for treatment of flu in children beginning from birth and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends oseltamivir for treatment of flu in children 2 weeks old or older.
Oseltamivir is available as an oral suspension for children.
Zanamivir is approved for early treatment of flu in people 7 years and older, though it is not recommended for use in children with underlying respiratory disease, including asthma and other chronic lung diseases.
Peramivir is approved for early treatment in people 6 months and older.
Baloxavir is available in a single dose tablet for children 5 years and older.
If your child's health care provider prescribes oseltamivir capsules for your child and your child cannot swallow capsules, but the pediatric liquid suspension is not available, the prescribed capsules may be opened, mixed with a thick sweetened liquid, and given that way.
Continued: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/antiviral-drugs.html
- Flu antiviral drugs are prescription medicines that can be used to treat flu illness.
- They can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick.
- Antiviral drugs work best when started within 1 to 2 days after flu symptoms begin.
- CDC recommends prompt treatment for people who have flu or suspected flu and who are at increased risk of serious flu complications, such as pregnant women, people with asthma and chronic lung disease, diabetes (including gestational diabetes), or heart disease.
Flu antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid, an inhaled powder, or an intravenous solution) that fight against flu viruses in your body. Antiviral drugs are not sold over the counter. You can only get them if you have a prescription from a health care provider. Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics, which fight against bacterial infections. Antiviral drugs for flu only work to treat flu. Flu antiviral drugs are different than antiviral drugs used to treat other infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Antiviral drugs prescribed to treat COVID-19 are not approved or recommended to treat flu.
Treatment of flu with flu antiviral medications works best when started within 1-2 days after flu symptoms begin. Flu antiviral drugs can lessen symptoms and shorten the time you are sick by about a day. Starting antiviral treatment shortly after symptoms begin also can help reduce some flu complications. For adults hospitalized with flu, some studies have reported that early antiviral treatment can reduce the duration of hospitalization and their risk of death.
Recommended antiviral drugs for this flu season
There are four FDA-approved antiviral drugs recommended by CDC to treat flu this season.
- oseltamivir phosphate (available as a generic version or under the trade name Tamiflu®),
- zanamivir (trade name Relenza®),
- peramivir (trade name Rapivab®), and
- baloxavir marboxil (trade name Xofluza®).
Generic oseltamivir and Tamiflu® are available as a pill or liquid suspension and are FDA approved for early treatment of flu in people 14 days and older. Zanamivir
Zanamivir is a powdered medication that is inhaled and approved for early treatment of flu in people 7 years and older. Note: Zanamivir (trade name Relenza®) is administered using an inhaler device and is not recommended for people with breathing problems like asthma or COPD. Oseltamivir and zanamivir are given twice a day for five days.
Peramivir
Peramivir is given once intravenously by a health care provider and is approved for early treatment of flu in people 6 months and older. Baloxavir
Baloxavir is a pill given as a single dose by mouth and is approved for early treatment of uncomplicated flu in people 5 years and older. Baloxavir is also approved for post-exposure prophylaxis (use in preventing flu) in people 5 years and older following contact with a person with flu. Note: Baloxavir (trade name Xofluza®) is not recommended for treatment of flu during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, or in outpatients with complicated or progressive illness because there is no information about use of baloxavir in these patients. Baloxavir is also not recommended for treatment of flu in hospitalized patients due to limited data.
Who should take antiviral drugs
It's very important that flu antiviral drugs are started as soon as possible to treat patients who are:
- hospitalized with flu,
- people who are very sick with flu but who do not need to be hospitalized, and
- people who are at increased risk of serious flu complications based on their age or underling health conditions, if they develop flu symptoms. For example, people with asthma and chronic lung disease, diabetes, or heart disease are at higher risk, as well as pregnant women.
KEEP READING
People at Increased Risk for Flu Complications
Children
Children and flu antiviral drugs
Parents, if your child gets sick with flu, antiviral drugs offer a safe and effective treatment option. For treatment, flu antiviral drugs should ideally be started within two days after becoming sick and taken according to your doctor's instructions (usually for five days).
Children can take flu antiviral drugs, though this varies by medication. Oseltamivir is recommended by CDC for treatment of flu in children beginning from birth and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends oseltamivir for treatment of flu in children 2 weeks old or older.
Oseltamivir is available as an oral suspension for children.
Zanamivir is approved for early treatment of flu in people 7 years and older, though it is not recommended for use in children with underlying respiratory disease, including asthma and other chronic lung diseases.
Peramivir is approved for early treatment in people 6 months and older.
Baloxavir is available in a single dose tablet for children 5 years and older.
If your child's health care provider prescribes oseltamivir capsules for your child and your child cannot swallow capsules, but the pediatric liquid suspension is not available, the prescribed capsules may be opened, mixed with a thick sweetened liquid, and given that way.
Continued: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/treatment/antiviral-drugs.html