More than 90 per cent of COVID patients treated with Pfizer's antiviral drug Paxlovid showed significant improvement within three days, according to a report.

The report by Israel's Maccabi Healthcare Services showed that of the individuals who received Paxlovid, 60 per cent started to feel better within the first day, Jerusalem Post reported. "We recommend to anyone who has fallen sick with Covid and is found suitable for the treatment with this drug to take it and get protected against a serious illness that can lead to hospitalisation and even death," Maccabi division head Dr. Miri Mizrahi Reuveni was quoted as saying.

"The results of the survey indicate the quality of the treatment, its effectiveness and importance during the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, and especially in the midst of the current wave," she said. Israel started administering Paxlovid on January 3.

The treatment involves taking three pills twice a day for five days, starting as soon as possible and no later than five days after the patient shows the first symptoms. It is intended for individuals in mild to moderate condition who are considered at high risk of developing serious illness.

Data from Pfizer's clinical trial showed that when the treatment was started within three days of the first symptoms, hospitalisations and deaths dropped by 89 per cent compared with a placebo. In the survey, about 62 per cent participants said they suffered from side effects. Of these one-third experienced a bitter metallic taste, 18 per cent had diarrhoea, 11 per cent reported a loss in taste or smell, 7 per cent had muscle aches, and 4 per cent experienced a headache. So far, no patient who has received Paxlovid has died, the report said.

As per data by the Israeli Health Ministry as of last week, almost a third of patients did not accept the treatment - 753 refusals compared with 1,623 who accepted the drug. A significant number of those who refused the treatment might also be unvaccinated, which is also considered a high-risk factor, suggest data from Meuhedet Health Maintenance Organization.