Pill to treat high-risk Covid patients will soon be available for at home treatment

A new oral pill will be available this weekend to some Australians to help treat Covid symptoms at home.

A new oral Covid-19 treatment, manufactured by Pfizer, will become available at Australian community pharmacies this weekend.

The tablets, called PAXLOVID, will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme this on Sunday,

But it is only available for high-risk patients within the first five days of experiencing mild to moderate symptoms.

The revolutionary drug was approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in January but will now be available to high-risk cases with a prescription at their local community pharmacy.

It is the first oral treatment of its kind to treat the symptoms of Covid-19 and works by slowing or stopping the virus from replicating.

There are two antiviral drugs now available for Covid-19 patients in Australia for at home treatment. Picture: Mark Wilson

The drug aims to reduce the risk of serious illness which is seen more commonly in high-risk communities such as the elderly and immunocompromised.

Pfizer Australia and New Zealand’s Medical Director Dr Krishan Thiru said that high-risk people testing positive for COVID-19 should seek medical advice quickly to find out what treatment is appropriate for them.

The tablet needs to be taken twice a day for five days and as soon as possible after a Covid-19 diagnosis.

To be eligible for the PBS subsidised treatment you must be over 65 years old (over 50 years old for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s), or immunocompromised.

PAXLOVID has been available in Australia since January but will become accessible in pharmacies from Sunday. Picture: Mark Wilson

Pfizer’s Managing Director Anne Harris said the treatment would not replace the need for vaccination.

“While vaccination remains the most effective way to help prevent COVID-19, we know we need to tackle the virus on many fronts,” Ms Harris said.

“PAXLOVID provides an important second line of defence for those most at risk”.

It is not yet available to children and cannot be taken by patients requiring ventilators.

Another similar oral treatment, Lagevrio, was put on the PBS in March this year and is also only available to high-risk patients.

Originally published as Pill to treat high-risk Covid patients will soon be available for at home treatment