Covid tablet to be made available to vulnerable "hopefully within a week"

Monday 24 January 2022

An antiviral tablet described as a "game changer" by the UK Health Secretary is imminently due to become available outside hospital to 'at risk' islanders who test positive for covid.

Jersey's Deputy Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ivan Muscat MBE, told Express that he expects a way for islanders to access Molnupiravir to be introduced within the next "few days."

The antiviral drug was was approved by the UK medicines regulator in November, and is most effective when taken during the early stages of infection.

The medicines regulator advised its use as soon as possible after a positive covid-19 test is received and within five days of symptoms appearing.

"We have one oral antiviral, called Molnupiravir, which is a tablet form of antiviral which can be given out in the community which has been made available to us, and we are in the process of creating the relevant pathway to ensure that those who are at risk from covid and eligible for that treatment get that treatment in a timely manner," Dr Muscat explained.

Pictured: Dr Muscat explained that the new pathway will enable islanders who are immunosuppressed or "at risk from covid" to access the drug.

According to Dr Muscat, Molnupiravir will "be made available to people who are PCR positive and fall in one of the relevant categories for eligibility, which he described as those who are immunosuppressed or classified as 'at risk'.

On the timeframe people could be expected to access the drug, Dr Muscat said that "we're hoping that it’s going to be activated in the next few days, hopefully within  the week."

Dr Muscat added that there were two other antiviral "direct acting agents" which are currently being used exclusively in hospital and for clinical treatment.

Sotrovimab - a "monoclonal antibody" which works with both the delta and more recent omicron strain of covid - is given to patients.

Another drug of a similar kind, Ronapreve, is no longer used in hospital, as it is "active against delta but not omicron", Dr Muscat explained.

Some islanders in hospital with serious covid have also been offered intravenous antiviral Remdesivir.

Outside of antiviral treatment, there are two other types of treatment Jersey medics use for people with covid: general supportive therapy which includes oxygen and maintaining physiology, and immunosuppressants.