Do you fear what you may have to endure if you catch covid-19?

Instead of a ventilator in a hospital, drugmaker Merck may have an option for you.

The company has asked US regulators to authorize its $700 covid-19 pill, giving you an easy-to-swallow treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration could approve it in a few weeks, the Associated Press reported.

This would be the 1st pill available to treat the illness.

All other FDA-backed treatments require an IV or injection.

If the FDA approves, the US government has agreed to buy enough of the $700 pills to treat 1.7 million people.

That’s less than half the price of the $2,000 per infusion antibody drugs but more expensive than antiviral pills for other illnesses.

An antiviral pill you could take at home:

• May reduce your symptoms and speed recovery.

• Could ease case counts at Lexington Medical Center and other hospitals,

• Help curb outbreaks in under-served and rural areas.

• Aid the 2-pronged approach to the pandemic by way medication and vaccine prevention.

Merck wants the FDA to approve emergency use for adults with mild to moderate symptoms who are at risk for severe illness or hospitalization. That is roughly the way covid infusion drugs are used.

“It’s a pill, so you don’t have to deal with the infusion centers and all the factors around that,” said Dr. Nicholas Kartsonis of Merck.

The US average number of vaccinations a day has passed 1 million.