Antivirals tool to aid vulnerable
LOCAL public health clinicians have new treatments for Covid patients to prevent serious illness and hospitalisation.
Infectious disease registrar Arvind Yerramilli, from the Barwon South West public health unit, is one of the team providing new oral antiviral treatment to eligible patients with Covid-19.
Dr Yerramilli believes antivirals are a game-changer for keeping Covid-positive patients out of hospital.
“While vaccination and particularly booster doses are still the best way to prevent severe Covid-19, oral antiviral treatments can be used as another tool to help particularly vulnerable adults,” he said.
Paxlovid and Lagevrio are oral antiviral agents that can be taken in tablet or capsule form.
Both medications have recently been provisionally approved for the treatment of Covid-19 by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and are already being used in other countries, including the UK, US, Canada and Japan.
“Both Paxlovid and Lagevrio were shown to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death in two internationally recognised clinical studies,” Dr Yerramilli said.
Lagevrio has an active ingredient that works by preventing the virus from multiplying within the body.
Paxlovid has two components. Like Lagevrio, the first part works by preventing the virus multiplying, while the second part helps to increase the blood concentration of the first part, allowing it to work for longer.
Both Paxlovid and Lagevrio are available for Covid-19positive people at risk of severe disease but who are early in their illness and well enough to be treated in the community to prevent them needing hospitalisation.
This includes adult patients who are not pregnant, have at least one sign or symptom attributable to Covid-19 and are within five days of symptom onset.
Paxlovid is accessed through hospital pharmacies. Referrals can be made through your doctor.
Lagevrio is available in most community pharmacies with a valid prescription.