WORCESTER, Mass. - Pediatric researchers from UMass Chan Medical School are studying the effects of Paxlovid on young patients after the FDA's emergency use authorization of the drug included patients 12-years-old and older.

Working with the FDA and Pfizer, researchers are looking to find the appropriate dose of Paxlovid to prevent moderate cases of COVID in high risk patients from getting worse. 

According to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, children under 18 account for 14.4 million cases and more than 1,400 deaths from COVID in the county since the pandemic started.

In March, Pfizer started a phase 2 and 3 study on patients 12-years-old and older to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Paxlovid for treatment of non-hospitalized, symptomatic pediatric participants who tested positive and are at risk of getting worse.

Researchers are continuing to enroll teens, as well as kids ages 6 through 11. Once they've completed these age groups, they plan to study younger kids.