ExplainerCoronavirus: Hong Kong could make Covid-19 oral drugs more accessible. Here’s what you need to know about the distribution of the pills
- Hospital Authority considers relaxing protocol for prescribing molnupiravir and Paxlovid, two Covid-19 antivirals available in Hong Kong
- Residents above age of 60 and anyone who is severely immunocompromised currently among those with access to pills regardless of vaccination status
A steady increase in coronavirus cases in Hong Kong since June has prompted health authorities to review rules for prescribing the city’s two available Covid-19 antiviral medications.
One of the government’s biggest concerns is ensuring more elderly people get molnupiravir and Paxlovid because they have difficulties accessing other healthcare resources aimed at protecting residents from the coronavirus.
The Post unpacks what you need to know about the distribution of the pills.
1. Why has the distribution of drugs become a public concern recently?
Government data showed that about 9,600 courses of oral pills were prescribed via various channels between June 1 and July 24.
But with about 24,701 residents aged 60 or above infected during the same period, even if all of the prescriptions were given to elderly people, it would mean less than 40 per cent of them received the drugs.
Microbiologist Dr Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Infection, on Tuesday said the coronavirus antiviral distribution rate among the elderly was “unacceptably low” and had to be at least 80 per cent.
Without directly responding to the distribution rate, the Hospital Authority on Wednesday said it was looking into loosening the guidelines for prescribing the two Covid-19 oral drugs, hinting that they might lower the age requirements to allow more high-risk patients to be able to access the drugs.