A vaccine won’t get us completely out of this pandemic. Epidemiologists around the world are increasingly accepting the reality that SARS-CoV-2 and its variants will become endemic viruses like the seasonal flu. Doctors want to administer pills that people can take conveniently at home when symptoms first appear. The COVID pandemic has now made new antiviral treatments a priority. People at risk for severe covid-19 could soon have a transformative treatment option: antiviral