Pfizer's COVID Pill br Protects Against Omicron Variant, New Study Finds.br The results of the study of the effectiveness of Pfizer's Paxlovid pill were released on Dec. 14.br We are confident that, if authorized or approved, this potential treatment could be a critical tool to help quell br the pandemic, Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s Chief Executive, br via 'The New York Times'.br The study was conducted br with more than two thousand br unvaccinated volunteers.br The volunteers were considered high risk for severe COVID disease.br The study found that when Paxlovid was given to patients within three days of the initial signs of illness.br the risk of both death br and hospitalization was br reduced by 89 percent.br If given within br five days of initial br signs of illness.br the risk of both death br and hospitalization br was reduced br by 82 percent.br Data from the study show that only 0.7 percent of people who received the antiviral pill needed to be hospitalized within 28 days.br Of those who received a placebo, 6.5 percent needed to be hospitalized or died from the disease.br None of the patients who received Paxlovid died from the disease.br Pfizer scientists expected Paxlovid's effectiveness to be much lower than the results of the study indicate.br We really hit the top of the board, Dr. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer's Chief Scientific Officer, via 'The New York Times'.