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COVID-19 medicine

Last updated October 18, 2023.

Available languages: Español

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If you have COVID-19, you may be able to get medicine to help you recover. COVID-19 medications work best if they are taken within a few days of when you first got sick. It’s important to seek treatment quickly to lower your risk of serious illness and Long COVID, especially if you are aged 50 or older or have certain medical conditions.

Fill out CDPHE’s COVID-19 Testing and Treatment Plan worksheet using the information on this webpage so you’re prepared to ask about treatment if you start feeling sick.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms and your symptoms began within the past few days, call your doctor or health care provider as soon as you can to ask about getting medication. If you do not have a provider or health insurance, you can find a place to get medicine using the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ COVID-19 treatments map.

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Getting medicine

There are a few ways to get COVID-19 medication in Colorado.

If you have a doctor or health care provider:
  1. Call your provider. Tell them you have just tested positive for COVID-19, or suspect you have COVID-19, and want to learn more about COVID-19 medicine. Tell your provider about any other medications, vitamins, or supplements you are taking as well.
  2. Your provider will ask you some questions. This will help them decide if COVID-19 medicine is right for you and what kind might be best.
  3. Your provider may recommend a specific kind of medicine. If they have it on hand, they may ask you to come into their office to get it.
  4. If your provider does not have the kind of medication you need in their office, you can use the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ treatments map to find a nearby pharmacy or clinic location with the type of medicine your provider recommends.
  5. Tell your doctor or health care provider the name and phone number of the closest pharmacy or clinic location that has the recommended medicine.
  6. Your doctor will write you a prescription and send it to the nearby location.
  7. Go to the location. Depending on the type of medicine, you may receive an infusion on-site or pick up pills to take at home over the next few days.
If you don’t have a doctor or health care provider, or you can’t reach your regular provider fast enough:

Test to Treat or telehealth can help evaluate you for COVID-19 medication fast, even if you don’t have a provider or insurance. These options may have out-of-pocket fees for patients without insurance. Coloradans without insurance are encouraged to apply for Health First Colorado - Colorado's Medicaid Program.

  1. Call a Test to Treat location near you.
  2. Tell them you think you might have COVID-19 and are interested in using the Test to Treat program to seek testing and medication.
  3. Go to the location and take a COVID-19 test at the clinic. (Some clinics will accept a positive test you’ve already taken at home. You may bring an unopened rapid test to use at your appointment.) Bring a list of all of your current medications, vitamins, and supplements you are taking to this appointment.
  4. If your test is positive, the provider will ask you some questions to find out if medicine is right for you and what kind you might be able to take.
  5. If the provider recommends medicine, they will write you a prescription and send it to a pharmacy or infusion center near you.
  6. Depending on the type of medicine, you may receive an infusion or pick up pills to take at home over the next few days.

Home Test to Treat is a program that offers free tests and free treatment (if eligible) for COVID-19 at home. Uninsured and underinsured adults, as well as those on Medicare, Medicaid, and those in the Veteran Affairs health care system, can participate in Home Test to Treat. You can register for the program at any time, whether you are healthy or sick. Learn more about Home Test to Treat.

Telehealth means connecting with a health care provider over the phone or through a video call.

  1. Find a telehealth provider and make an appointment. Many insurance companies provide telehealth services for their members. Contact your insurance company to learn if telehealth services are available through your plan. If you don’t have insurance, you can find an appointment using a fee-based telehealth company. Many providers offer same-day or next-day appointments.

    Telehealth providers operating in Colorado include:
    Carbon Health.
    Care on Location.
    Doctor on Demand by Included Health.
    Healthtap.
    Sesame.

    This list is not an endorsement or recommendation by CDPHE. There may be other telehealth companies operating in Colorado that are not listed here.
     
  2. The telehealth provider will ask you some questions to find out if medication is right for you and what kind you might be able to take. Tell the telehealth provider about any other medications, vitamins, or supplements you are taking as well.
  3. If the provider recommends medicine, they will write you a prescription and send it to a pharmacy or infusion center near you.
  4. Go to the location. Depending on the type of medicine, you may receive an infusion on-site or pick up pills to take at home over the next few days.

Walgreens offers same-day delivery of Paxlovid free of cost to eligible patients. Contact your local Walgreens for more information.

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Types of medicine

There are different types of medicine that can treat COVID-19. 

Antiviral medications can be either pills you take by mouth or IV infusions. They target specific parts of the virus to stop it from copying itself.

Convalescent plasma is plasma from individuals who have recently recovered from COVID-19 infection. The plasma, or liquid part of the blood, contains antibodies against the virus. These antibodies can help neutralize or kill the virus to help you recover. It is authorized only for people who are immunosuppressed or are on immunosuppressive treatments. Research is ongoing to better understand the benefits and risks of this treatment.

As of January 26, 2023, Evusheld, a preventive medication for COVID-19, is no longer authorized by the FDA for emergency use in the United States, as it is not expected to be effective against more than 90% of the COVID-19 variants currently circulating in the United States based on recent CDC Nowcast data.

Medicine
When
Age
Description
For people who have a current diagnosis of mild -to -moderate COVID-19
Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) As soon as possible and within 5 days of when symptoms start 12 years and older

An antiviral medication taken by mouth. Paxlovid is the recommended choice for many people, but it might interfere with other medications you may be taking. 

Paxlovid is the first oral antiviral pill to be approved by the FDA to treat COVID-19 in adults. Paxlovid is available for 12-17 year-olds under the FDA’s emergency use authorization.
Veklury (remdesivir) As soon as possible and within 7 days of when symptoms start 28 days and older An antiviral medication given by an IV infusion three days in a row at a health care facility. Remdesivir is usually the best choice for people who cannot take Paxlovid.
Legevrio (molnupiravir) As soon as possible and within 5 days of when symptoms start 18 years and older An alternative antiviral medication taken by mouth. Molnupiravir might be recommended for people who are unable to take either Paxlovid or Remdesivir.

Convalescent plasma

 Within 8 days of when symptoms start 18 years and older 
< 18 years: Case by case decision

An alternative treatment which could be considered for those who are immunosuppressed or on immunosuppressive medicines and cannot take other COVID-19 treatments or are not responding to the COVID-19 treatments.

Other factors influence eligibility, and this is an abbreviated table. Find more complete guidance for prescribers.