Prescription question

Local Doctor or Emergency Dept. at local hospital.

US doctors cannot prescribe in Europe

The new booster should be available next week
Check at CVS, etc

I would recommend masking whenever you are shoulder to shoulder in crowded situations. Some of my friends have gotten bad colds and bronchitis in Europe, and it ruined their trips, so it's not just COVID you want to avoid. Good health!

As others are saying, you would need to go to a Doctor there. One thing you can do though, is talk to your Doctor and find out what information is needed to determine if you are a good fit for Paxlovid. Typically, the Doctor needs to know all of the medicines you have taken in the last year, as well as current medical issues and conditions, since the drug can cause some complications. So it might be a good idea to have a type of medical summary you could hand to a Doctor in Italy, rather than trying to remember things on the spot.

Also remember that unlike the US, where many go to the Doctor to demand something, in most of Europe, the Doctor will make the decision, and use guidelines developed by the medical system. Something like Paxlovid may require a certain level of severity, rather than a simple positive test. with prescriptions for it not given out liberally.

We are headed to Europe in a few days, and being over 65, we were able to walk into our pharmacy a few weeks ago and get our sixth Covid vaccine.

We both tested positive last Christmas morning and were prescribed Paxlovid after online appointments. Our cases were very mild and we quit the Paxlovid after a few doses because of the side effects. We did keep the remaining doses, and it's packed in my suitcase, but, I really hope I never have to use it.

Sam,

Just curious, how long ago did you have your last Covid booster, and how many jabs have you had? In this area, they generally offer boosters no sooner than six months from the last one. I'm not sure the new fall vaccines are ready yet? It's likely they will be given at the same time as Flu and RSV vaccinations.

Ken - We've been vaccinated and boosted through September 2022. Our primary mission now - Plan A - is getting the brand new booster that is said to be effective against the new and emerging variants. Unfortunately, it may not be available before we depart for Italy.

That's why we were thinking Plan B - getting a prescription for paxlovid in case we get sick while away from home for six-plus weeks,

A few years ago I discovered that there were doctors and medical clinics in Europe, and they were competent. Do some research, make a list. Pack the list. Enjoy trip.