covid-19. >> if you start having symptoms and are identified as having covid, then you could take the pill and it will reduce your risk of hospitalization and potentially death. but it's reduce. this is nothing nearly as powerful as getting a vaccine. >> reporter: merck says it will seek emergency use authorization as soon as possible. the development was welcome news at today's white house covid-19 briefing where medical experts cautioned the pill would not be a stand-in for getting vaccinated. >> if approved, the right way to think about this is, this is a potential additional tool in our toolbox to protect people from the worst outcomes of covid. i think it's really important to remember that vaccination as we've talked about today remains far and away our best tool against covid-19. >> reporter: the battle over vaccine mandates is about to shift to california. it's just become the first state in the country that will require