COVID-19 antiviral and antibody treatments

Vaccination continues to be the best line of defence against Covid-19, but did you know that there are also treatments available to help at-risk people who test positive and have symptoms?

Please ensure for eligibility purposes;

• You have received a positive LFD or PCR test, confirming you are COVID-19 positive
• You have symptoms that are listed as part of the criteria eligibility
• Symptoms have not been any longer than 7 days
• You are part of the high risk groups - please see below.  

The high-risk group includes people who have

• Down's syndrome - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on Down's syndrome. 
• sickle cell disease
• certain types of cancer
• HIV or AIDS
• a severe liver condition (such as cirrhosis) - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on cirrhosis.
• chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5 - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on chronic kidney disease.
• had an organ transplant
• certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease) - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on rheumatoid arthritis. - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on inflammatory bowel disease.
• a condition or treatment that makes you more likely to get infections
• had certain types of chemotherapy in the last 12 months
• had radiotherapy in the last 6 months
• Respiratory Disorders
• Neurological Conditions - conditions affecting the brain or nerves (including motor neurone disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or Huntington’s disease) - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on motor neurone disease. - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on Duchenne muscular dystrophy. - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on multiple sclerosis. - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on myasthenia gravis. - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on Alzheimer’s disease. - Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on Parkinson’s disease. or Follow this link to the NHS website for more information on Huntington’s disease.

What treatments are available?

There are two types of treatments:

• A course of antiviral oral tablets - Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid®) - (antiviral drugs taken at home) - Follow this link to the 'Paxlovid: an antiviral medicine to treat coronavirus (COVID-19)' page on the NHS website for more information. 
• An Infusions of antibody medications - Sotrovimab (Xevudy®) - which support the immune response (only for extremely clinically vulnerable people). Follow this link to the Sotrovimab patient leaflet for more information.

How do you access treatments?

If you feel that you meet the above eligibility criteria and you are extremely clinically vulnerable with a positive PCR test or LFT test, please contact NHS 111, contact your consultant or GP, or follow this link to the COVID-19 Antiviral Self-Referral Form (NHS 111 Wales).

It's recommended that you have treatment within 7 days of your symptoms starting.

N.B. Free lateral flow tests are available to collect from selected community pharmacies for the high risk group. Follow this link for more information on how to get a free lateral flow test.

What happens next?

We may contact you directly if you have recorded your COVID 19 result via the UK Government website, or if you have completed the self-referral form via the NHS 111 webpage.

The Swansea Bay Antiviral Triage Team will contact you to take you through a triage process.

Please be aware; by completing the self-referral form this does not guarantee that you are eligible for treatment and there will be further questions that the triage nurse will support you with.

The triage team at Swansea Bay operate Monday to Friday between 8.30 am – 4.00 pm, please allow 24 hrs to be contacted. There is no weekend service available.

The triage nurse will discuss your eligibility and the best treatment depending on patient needs.  

PANORAMIC trial

This trial is available for people who are wider risk of serious illness from Covid-19 either because

• they are over the age of 50, or  
• they are aged 18 to 49 with underlying health conditions. (Many of these people will qualify for free annual flu jabs.)

To take part people need to fall into one of the at-risk groups, have tested positive for Covid-19 by either a PCR or LFT test, and have symptoms.

The PANORAMIC trial involves a course of oral tablets. These tablets are already used to treat some people who are ill enough with Covid to be in hospital. The trial is now looking at how effective the treatment is for people who are still at home who test positive for Covid, and who have symptoms.

It is a UK-wide study and anyone who is in the at-risk categories can apply to take part, whether they have been vaccinated or not. Follow this link to the PANORAMIC website for more information on the trial, including a link to apply. Or, ring 08081 560017 (calls are free.)

Once accepted onto the trial, the tablets are posted to you straight away as they should be taken within five days. You will be asked to answer follow up questions online or by telephone, but no face-to-face visits are needed.

Please go here to find out whether you are eligible for COVID-19 treatments or participation in a UK-wide antiviral study.