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In May 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of ensitrelvir (Xocova) for postexposure prophylaxis of Covid-19 in adults and adolescents who have had contact with an infected person.
Covid vaccines prevent severe disease but do not completely protect against infection. Additional preventive options are particularly important for people at high risk for complications. Several previously approved Covid treatments, including nirmatrelvir–ritonavir (Paxlovid), have been tested as postexposure prophylaxis without success. Although ensitrelvir shares the same mechanism of action as nirmatrelvir (SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitor), researchers examined whether it might still prove effective as postexposure prophylaxis.