The first “test to treat” site will open today in Rhode Island.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19-induced illness are still on the rise in the United States. COVID-induced, deaths, however, are on a downturn, with numbers staying mostly static for the past several months. This has freed up some manpower and supplies around the country, allowing medical professionals to engage in some more proactive anti-viral tactics that wasn’t previously available.

“What has been remarkable in the latest increase in infections we’re seeing is how steady serious illness and particularly deaths are eight weeks into this,” White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha told AP. “COVID is no longer the killer that it was even a year ago.”

The first of these new tactics is “test to treat” sites, where individuals can be prescribed the anti-COVID medication Paxlovid immediately after testing positive for the virus. The first of these new sites will be opening in Rhode Island today, with more to follow around New York and Massachusetts in the coming weeks. Federal regulators will also be sending along detailed instructions for Paxlovid’s usage to physicians, including the drug’s interactions with other common medications.

“We are now at a point where I believe fundamentally most COVID deaths are preventable, that the deaths that are happening out there are mostly unnecessary, and there are a lot of tools we have now to make sure people do not die of this disease,” Dr. Jha said.

While deaths are down, however, Dr. Jha is still urging all US citizens to ensure they’re up to date on their vaccinations, including a booster shot. Those who still experience breakthrough infections should speak to their doctors about the possibility of a Paxlovid prescription.