Pharmac is widening access to three early Covid-19 treatments - to try to keep people out of hospital.
Photo: AFP
The agency's chief medical officer, Dr David Hughes, said the antivirals, Paxlovid, Lagevrio and Veklury, reduced the risk of severe illness, which would help take the pressure off the health system.
The change will apply to 400,000 people at risk of severe illness from Covid-19.
Pharmac said the change was prompted by rising case numbers and the emergence of the subvariant BA.5.
It is among several new measures to tackle Covid-19 and flu:
- Expanded eligibility for antivirals
- Making Covid-19 medicines available in pharmacies to help ease pressure on GPs
- Significantly expanding access to free RATs and masks
- Schools provided with mask supplies and more support for ventilation and winter heating costs
- Second Covid-19 booster available to those over 50
Minister for Covid-19 Response Ayesha Verrall said: "Antiviral medications can reduce the seriousness of Covid-19 meaning fewer people need to be hospitalised, so we are making these more widely available as pharmacy-only medications."
She said making the antivirals available to some groups without the need for a doctor's prescription meant access would expand from 2 percent to 10 percent of cases.
From next Monday anyone over 75 who has tested positive for Covid-19 or who has been admitted previously to an intensive care unit directly as a result of the virus, will be eligible to access antivirals through their GP.
"This will help alleviate pressure on primary care by removing the need for GPs to review every Covid-19 patient that may be eligible for antivirals.
Dr David Hughes Photo: Supplied / LDR
"To speed up access to antivirals, GPs can now provide back pocket prescriptions, which means at-risk patients for acute respiratory illnesses can be pre-approved and have their prescription ready should they become unwell and need the medicine immediately," Dr Verrall said.
Dr Hughes said feedback from the health sector indicated that uptake of the antivirals has been lower than expected.
There was plenty of stock available, he said.
"With winter offering up the usual mix of colds and flu and Covid-19 present in the community we want as many New Zealanders as possible to stay well. We expect that widening the access to these treatments will help do that," Dr Hughes said.