An additional 160,000 Australians are now able to access subsidised COVID-19 antiviral treatments after the federal government expanded eligibility criteria under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
From today, people in their 60s with one risk factor for severe COVID-19 can get a prescription for Pfizer's oral antiviral treatment, Paxlovid, which was previously only available to people in this age group with two risk factors.
Announcing the change, federal health minister Mark Butler said the increased availability of the antiviral drug would help take pressure off Australian hospitals.
"We know how effective Paxlovid and Molnupiravir — two oral antivirals — are in preventing severe disease and hospitalisation and death, we've seen that through the last few waves over the course of 2022," Mr Butler said on Thursday.
"This will make a real difference to the experience of many tens of thousands of people aged in their 60s."
The new measure means people in their 60s with one risk factor will join the following groups on the PBS's COVID-19 antiviral eligibility list:
- people aged 70 years and over
- people in their 50s with two risk factors (or who have previously been hospitalised with COVID-19)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people aged 30 years and over with one risk factor
- immunocompromised people aged 18 years and over.
COVID antiviral drugs work best when taken as soon as possible, generally within five days of testing positive or symptom onset.
Mr Butler said people eligible for antiviral treatments should have early discussions with their GP and develop a plan should they test positive.
"It's important to reinforce that all Australians who are eligible for the oral antivirals, including this new group, make a plan … so that when you receive a positive test, there is a plan of action in place to be able to access the oral antivirals very quickly," he said.
Paxlovid has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19, and is the preferred antiviral treatment in Australia.
COVID is 'not over', health minister warns
In recent weeks, COVID-19 cases have begun to climb again after levelling off in February, towards the end of Australia's summer Omicron wave.
Mr Butler said antiviral prescriptions had increased by about 40 per cent, and cases in aged care had risen by about 65 per cent, though the latter remained substantially lower than the peak seen during summer.
"We've seen a very slow, small uptick in hospitalisations over the last several weeks as well, all of which goes to reinforce the message that this is not over.
"There will be future waves of COVID across the course of this year and it is important to continue to reinforce those standard messages about remaining COVID-safe."
The federal government is also rolling out a new ad campaign on television, social media and billboards this weekend, encouraging Australians to get their 2023 COVID-19 vaccine booster.
It follows guidance issued by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) in February that all adults who have not had a COVID-19 infection or vaccine in the past six months can top up their protection with a booster, irrespective of how many other doses they have had.
So far, more than one million Australians have received their 2023 booster. Around 70 per cent of those boosters have gone to people aged 60 and over, Mr Butler said.
"If it's been more than six months since you were infected, or six months since you had your last dose of COVID vaccine, you are now able to go out and get an additional dose."
Priority remains protecting vulnerable groups
Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said it was difficult to predict whether the COVID "ripple" being seen at the moment would turn into another large wave.
But he said the priority for health authorities remained protecting Australia's most vulnerable groups, including older people and residents of aged care.
"People are over COVID … but it's still there. We can't ignore that there is COVID circulating in the community," Professor Kelly said.
"[The] very strong message, particularly to people over the age of 65 and others with risk factors, is to get that vaccine now, don't wait.
"If you are in any of those groups that are eligible for oral antivirals ... they work against all of the new variants."
For Australians who aren't eligible for subsidised antiviral treatments, the cost for a private script remains close to $1000, he said.
"But I think that the message to Australians is the people that really need it ... are now eligible for that highly-subsidised PBS rate.
"And so they're the ones that should be ... making those plans, in case they were diagnosed with COVID in coming months."
