No COVID treatment in Lisbon

This is the prevailing medical doctrine in Europe these days, I also had covid earlier this year living in Sweden (I have an autoimmune condition) and best they could do was Paracetamol, in Sweden no one had ever heard of this Paxlovid. I hope you will recover quickly and be back on your feet soon!

I am sorry you are ill and hope you recover quickly. How thoughtful to send this advice for other travelers!
I have Kaiser and my doctor also won't prescribe Paxlovid without a positive test and active case. I am recently returned from 2 weeks in Germany (I got the latest vaccine prior) and masked everywhere and always, although I do that when not traveling in my daily life.
I took my too-heavy little oximeter, thermometer and a week's worth of blister pack severe day/night cold/flu tablets, as well as several tubes of rehydration powder.

As you said, it's challenging enough being ill in another country without also having to navigate unfamiliar options for self- care in a pharmacy.
It seems as if this virus has been with us forever...

My doctor sent me with Paxlovid on our trip to Europe this past spring. I carried that ridiculously huge box of Paxlovid in my suitcase for 3 weeks. Sat next to very sick people on our return flight back to the US and got my first case of Covid 5 days later. Took the Paxlovid even though it felt like a mild case. Felt better. Then got rebound Covid (it’s a real thing) and it was no fun. So it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and so I’m not surprised that it’s being used for worst cases only in some parts of the world.
My husband’s doctor wouldn’t give it to him for our trip.

Not on a trip but my husband caught COVID last winter, was treated with Paxlovid, and ended up with rebound COVID like you, KD. It was no fun for him either, and I hear it's not uncommon when treated with the stuff.

I had the opposite while visiting my offspring in the US: after catching Covid on the flight to the US, Paxlovid was prescribed to me with just a video appointment, screening. I had only a runny nose and cough but I complied with my kids' protocol and took the medicine. My doctor here in France said he wouldn't have prescribed it due to side effects.

Jill, I hope you feel better very soon.

I’m sorry you were ill but with this and a number of other illnesses, they are treated somewhat differently in Portugal, and in Europe. I was living here during Covid. Portugal had one of the best compliance with vaccine rates in the world and a comparatively low death rate. So, just because it’s different doesn’t always mean it’s worse treatment.

But, by all means, if your expectation is that you take the medication if you get Covid, bring it with you. Many of my friends who have traveled to the states and back recently have come back with Covid. I’m trying to convince myself I need a mask on the plane when I travel to Italy next week!

Kathryn, we are finishing up 2 weeks in Italy (and a week in the Netherlands) and fingers crossed, we have remained healthy. We have been around lots of folks with visible symptoms of all kinds including on our flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to Venice and we have worn N95 masks in crowds. The person across the aisle on the flight was very sick and his wife was wearing a mask even though he wasn’t. Having had Covid while in Paris last year, I was determined to stay as well as possible on this trip; too much pleasure and money at stake!

PS Paxlovid is prescribed sparingly in Canada as well so no option to bring it with us. But we have brought cold medicine, a thermometer and a pulse oximeter as my spouse has health issues that could be impacted by Covid.

My US internist prescribed Paxlovid the first time I got Covid (Age 72, good health) , but years later, he orders it less often. It is not a product that patients should be able to, in effect, buy on demand.

Jill, I am sorry you are ill. I hope you will feel better soon and not have any lasting effects.

I recently returned from Poland where there were three ill with Covid on our tour. When I told my doctor I was going to Europe he immediately started telling me when to mask up ( I mask in crowded spaces at home) and that he wanted me to take Paxlovid with me because of my age and some health issues that are well controlled. Several on the tour wore masks much of the time, including me. I did not get Covid. My flight home had the most masked people ( including flight attendants ) I’ve seen since the mandates were lifted.
We did see masking in Poland of citizens and tourists of all ages. Not a lot but more than I expected.