For people living with disability with multiple conditions and/or frailty who test positive for COVID-19 or influenza, there are antiviral medications that can help prevent serious disease.
Antivirals may reduce the length and severity of their illness, decrease the risk of hospitalisation, and assist in controlling outbreaks in disability residential care facilities.
For information on managing outbreaks in disability residential care settings, please see the resources section below.
Oral antiviral medications available in Australia for COVID-19 and influenza
Medication | Use | Access |
|---|---|---|
Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid™) | COVID-19 treatment of diagnosed cases | Through community pharmacies. Please review PBS criteria |
Molnupiravir (Lagevrio®) | COVID-19 treatment of diagnosed cases | Through community pharmacies. Please review PBS criteria |
Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) | Influenza treatment Please note, a positive influenza laboratory result is not required for medical and nurse practitioners to prescribe | Through community pharmacies on private script. |
Preparing for COVID-19 treatments
Primary care providers and disability support providers should work with people with disability, their families, carers, or appointed guardians to establish clinical assessment, treatment, and referral pathways as part of winter preparedness.
This may include individual pre-assessment of people with disability for suitability for antiviral therapies, including post-exposure prophylaxis to support prompt access and safe administration.
The following resources have been developed to assist clinicians, people with disability, their families, carers, or appointed guardians to make informed decisions about antiviral medications.
- Antiviral treatment and prophylaxis – advice for people with disability, their families, carers, or appointed guardians
- Antiviral treatment and prophylaxis for people with disability, their families, carers, or appointed guardians – advice for clinicians and residential facilities
- Antiviral pre-assessment form for COVID-19 and influenza
Resources
For further information on managing exposures and outbreaks of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in disability care settings, please refer to the following pages:
- ACT COVID-19 website: Public health guidance for acute respiratory illnesses in disability residential care facilities
- ACT COVID-19 website: Public health guidance for acute respiratory illnesses in other disability care settings
Treatment guidelines for use of oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is available on the Therapeutic Goods Administration website.
Information on the clinical management of COVID-19 in disability residential care facilities and antiviral treatments can be found on the following pages:
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care: CDNA national guidelines for the prevention and management of COVID-19 outbreaks in disability residential services
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care: Oral treatments for COVID-19
- National COVID-19 clinical evidence taskforce: Caring for people with COVID-19
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care: Updated eligibility for oral COVID-19 treatments
