COVID treatment has improved, but many wish for an easy pill

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer
One year ago, no treatments had proved safe and effective for COVID-19, but that’s not the case today. Drugs that supply virus-blocking antibodies are keeping newly infected people out of the hospital. Other medicines are helping the sickest patients survive. Vaccines are starting to curb the pandemic. But with around 60,000 new cases each day in the United States and more worldwide, doctors say more and better treatments are needed. At the top of their wish list is a pill or other easy-to-use treatment that can keep people with early symptoms from becoming seriously ill.