LAUSR

We thank Dr. Oscar Jolobe for his insightful report [1] in response to our article [2]. Nirmatrelvir has surged as an orally administered antiviral agent that reduces coronavirus replication by inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 3-chymotrypsin–like cysteine protease [3]. The development of nirmatrelvir has been a turning point in the early treatment of highrisk patients with COVID-19. This antiviral agent decreased the progression toward the severe forms of the disease, reducing hospitalization and shortterm mortality [3]. It would be only natural that its favorable results in the early phase of the infection would motivate investigations regarding the longterm consequences of COVID-19 [1].