Covid Scotland: Two Covid antiviral treatments to be rolled out in January

New antiviral treatments for people with the early stages of coronavirus will be rolled out in Scotland in early January.
Two types of treatment will be available for people at the highest risk after they test positive.Two types of treatment will be available for people at the highest risk after they test positive.
Two types of treatment will be available for people at the highest risk after they test positive.

Two types of treatment will be available for people at the highest risk after they test positive for the virus.

One of these is an intravenous injection known as a monoclonal antibody treatment, which is administered in day clinics in hospital.

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A pill called molnupiravir will also be made available for adults who are at the highest risk from Covid-19.

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Chief medical officer Gregor Smith said the new treatments are “ground-breaking”, but should not be seen as an alternative to vaccination.

He said: “Adults and children aged 12 or over who are thought to be at high risk and with a clinical condition that has been prioritised for treatment will be able to be assessed by a clinician in their own health board to see if the new coronavirus therapies are suitable and provide further information on how to access the medicines, if eligible.

“We will also be writing to individuals who may be eligible to access these new treatments in early January to provide them with further information and home PCR test kits.

“If recommended for treatment, individuals may be invited to attend a day clinic at a hospital to receive a monoclonal antibody which is normally given by intravenous infusion.

“Alternatively, the assessing clinician may recommend an antiviral treatment to be taken orally.”

Details on who is eligible for the new treatments are on the NHS Inform website.

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