Access to oral COVID‐19 antivirals in the community: are eligibility criteria and systems ensuring equity?

COVID-19 mortality and morbidity data should include information on vaccination status, and both eligibility and receipt of COVID-19 oral antivirals. Access to oral COVID-19 antivirals in the community: are eligibility criteria and systems ensuring equity? Keywords: COVID-19; Public health EN COVID-19 Public health 438 441 4 06/06/23 20230601 NES 230601 With substantial SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the community, early oral antiviral access has become a pillar of our response Oral antiviral therapies for the treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are recommended in Australian guidelines to reduce the risk of serious illness, hospitalisation and mortality in people who do not require oxygen and have risk factors for progression to severe disease.[1] Oral treatments should be started within five days after onset of symptoms, or as soon as practical after diagnosis in an asymptomatic individual.[1] With substantial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission in the community and great health system pressures and excess mortality nationwide due to COVID-19 (most of which has been experienced in 2022), early oral antiviral access has become a pillar of our response. Integrating general practice into the Australian COVID-19 response: a description of the General Practitioner Respiratory Clinic Program in Australia. [Extracted from the article]