Complex issue. The current treatment that seems most promising is Paxlovid (Pfizer), an antiviral that targets a molecule inside the virus (it inhibits a “protease” of SARS-CoV-2). This antiviral, administered orally, is available in France, the problem is that it is very underused. It must be administered within 5 days of the appearance of the first symptoms, it is quite doable but the deadlines are still tight. In this condition, this treatment is very effective in preventing the appearance of serious forms in subjects at risk (elderly people, suffering from co-morbidities, etc.). It still has the disadvantage of being contraindicated in some people, especially in immunocompromised people, because of the interactions it may have with other drugs.
Another therapeutic arsenal is based on “monoclonal antibodies”, also indicated to prevent progression to serious forms in infected people at risk. A whole series of antibodies have been developed. Their limit is that faced with new variants, in particular against BA.5, the Omicron sub-variant which has become very prevalent in France, many of these antibodies have lost all or part of their effectiveness. The antibody cocktail Evusheld (AstraZeneca) seems to have retained efficacy against this sub-variant, although much less than against the Delta variant. In addition, a new antibody from Lilly, bebtelovimab, would retain very good efficacy against BA.5… except that the laboratory reserves it, for the time being, only for the United States! However, these antibodies must be administered by infusion in the hospital, which is obviously less simple than an oral intake!
Note, antibodies can also have another use: they can be used preventively, in the form of injections every six or three months, in people who are not infected but at risk of serious forms.
Finally, there is another antiviral, remdesivir, not specifically developed against Covid-19, but which can in certain cases be prescribed.