COVID is surging again in Oklahoma. Here's what to know if you test positive.

COVID-19 is still on the rise in Oklahoma, fueled mostly by BA.4 and BA.5, two highly transmissible variants that have quickly spread across the country.

Hospitalizations have more than doubled statewide since June, and the Oklahoma State Department of Health warned Oklahomans this week to take precautions against the spread of the virus.

More than 70% of counties are seeing high or medium levels of spread in the community, according to maps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Oklahoma health officials have said there is a plentiful supply of antiviral drugs and other therapeutics in the state that can keep people from getting seriously ill and winding up in the hospital. And pharmacists can now prescribe Paxlovid, an antiviral used to treat COVID-19, which may make the drug easier to access.

More:Experts urge caution as ultra contagious BA.4 and BA.5 COVID-19 strains spread in Oklahoma

Here’s what you need to know if you test positive.

What COVID-19 treatments exist

If you test positive for COVID-19, either on an at-home rapid test or a PCR test, you should isolate for a minimum of five days. You might need to isolate for longer depending on whether your symptoms are improving, if you have a weakened immune system, or got very sick from COVID-19, according to CDC guidelines.

While you isolate, you also might be eligible for treatments that can help you get over the virus more easily and avoid serious complications, depending on your age and medical conditions.

For any COVID-19 treatment, it needs to be given early in the course of the infection for it to be effective, typically within five to seven days of symptoms beginning.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the types of treatments that are available:

• Paxlovid is an antiviral drug that can be used to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in people over 12 who are at high risk of having a severe case of COVID-19. It’s two medicines: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, which are taken in pill form over the course of five days.

• Lagevrio is another antiviral drug that can treat COVID-19. The medicine, molnupiravir, is intended for adults at high risk of having severe disease from COVID-19. It’s taken in pill form over the course of five days.

• Bebtelovimab is a monoclonal antibody treatment that works against the omicron variant (and its subvariants) and can be used in people over 12. It’s administered through an IV, or intravenous infusion.

• Remdesivir is an antiviral drug administered through an IV over the course of several days to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19, and it can be given to adults, children and infants who meet certain age, weight and eligibility requirements.

• Evusheld is a combination of two long-acting monoclonal antibodies that can be used for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19. It’s meant for people over 12 who aren’t expected to mount an adequate immune response after vaccination, including people who are immunocompromised or who take medications that suppress their immune system. It’s meant to be given to people who aren’t currently infected with COVID-19 and haven’t had a recent exposure to the virus.

These drugs were in short supply earlier this year, when the original omicron variant took hold across the state and sent hospitalizations soaring. But now, the state has “ample supply” of antiviral drugs, the state Health Department said this week.

As of July 10, Oklahoma had ordered more than 34,000 courses of Paxlovid and administered 13,452 to patients, according to federal data. Fewer Lagevrio courses have been used: about 5,200 of the over 30,000 ordered.

Dr. Gitanjali Pai, the state Health Department’s chief medical officer, encouraged Oklahomans to get in touch with their health care providers about their eligibility for COVID-19 treatments.

New prescribing rules for Paxlovid

It may also be easier for Oklahomans to access antivirals now that the Food and Drug Administration has allowed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid. 

Tim Barrick, the president of the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association, said he and other pharmacists in the state were happy to hear of the change.

“We just want to be part of the solution,” said Barrick, who owns The Clinic Pharmacy in Shawnee.

Allowing pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid may make the drugs more accessible, he said. Pharmacists will have to take a patient’s medical history and check for any adverse drug reactions to determine if someone’s a good candidate for Paxlovid before prescribing it.

“You've got about 20,000 chain stores across the country. You've got nearly 20,000 independent pharmacies across the country. So that’s 40,000 potential sites for individuals to get taken care of,” Barrick said. “You can't replace doctors. You can't replace nurses … But if we can be more accessible, and it's for the greater good, pharmacies want to be a part of it.”

The federal government has a list of Test-to-Treat sites available through the Health and Human Services Department website, where people can get a COVID-19 test, have a medical visit and get medications prescribed. You may need to call ahead to make an appointment.

The change in rules doesn’t apply to Lagevrio, which still has to be prescribed by a doctor.

Taking precautions

Pai, with the state Health Department, said people should stay home if they have COVID-19 symptoms and get tested to prevent spreading the virus.

“There are tools available you can choose to use to protect yourself, including good handwashing, testing, vaccination and wearing a mask in high-risk areas,” she said in a statement.

Anyone 6 months and older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, and boosters are available to people ages 5 and older depending on when they received their primary COVID-19 vaccination.

Adults over 50 and anyone over 12 with a weakened immune system is eligible for a second booster.

Need to find an appointment near you? Go to vaccines.gov to search by ZIP code, or vaccinate.oklahoma.gov for Oklahoma appointments.

Oklahoma County-area opportunities for vaccination and testing are available at vaxokc.com and testokc.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: COVID surges in Oklahoma: What to know about treatment if you're sick