The US government is taking steps to distribute Pfizer Inc's oral anti-novel coronavirus drug Paxlovid to testing and treatment sites in response to a possible new outbreak due to this summer's tourism season.

The first COVID-19 testing and treatment site supported by the US federal government will open in Rhode Island on May 26. if the test is positive, patients can get treatment on the spot. In the coming weeks, such outlets will gradually start trial operations in Massachusetts and New York City.

The government will send federal medical experts to Minnesota-operated testing sites next week and plans to upgrade them to testing and treatment centers. In addition, the government has developed drug use instructions for local doctors to clarify how to manage the interaction between Paxlovid and other drugs. It is understood that the government has ordered 20 million courses of Paxlovid. However, if the use of the drug remains high, it is expected that drug stocks will still be at risk of shortage by this winter.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of May 25, the cumulative number of infections in the United States was about 83.4 million, with an average daily infection of about 104000.