TY - JOUR
T1 - Community-based access to oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 in Australia
AU - Sturgiss, Elizabeth
AU - Simpson, Nick
AU - Ball, Lauren
AU - Dykgraaf, Sally Hall
AU - Kelly, Paul
AU - Kidd, Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Christopher Deane (Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra, ACT, Australia) for providing access to the data and comments on the manuscript.
Funding Information:
Elizabeth Sturgiss FRACGP, PhD, BMed, MPH, MForensMed, FHEA, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic Nick Simpson MBBS, Medical Adviser, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra, ACT Lauren Ball PhD, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld Sally Hall Dykgraaf RN, Grad Cert ClinMan, PhD, Research Fellow, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT Paul Kelly MBBS, PhD, FAFPHM, Chief Medical Officer, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra, ACT Michael Kidd AM MBBS, MD, FAHMS, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra, ACT Competing interests: NS, MK and PK are employees of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. SHD was seconded to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care at the time of this writing. ES is supported by a NHMRC Investigator Grant. LB is supported by a NHMRC Investigator Grant and is on the Editorial Advisory Committee for AJGP. SHD has been seconded to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Funding: None. Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned, externally peer reviewed. Correspondence to: [email protected]
Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners 2023
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background The availability of oral antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces the risk of severe, acute illness in people at higher risk for death and hospitalisation. Objective The process for antiviral prescription and dispensing in Australia is outlined using nationwide data. Discussion Australia has focused on providing rapid access to antivirals to high-risk people in the community via general practices and community pharmacies. Although the introduction of oral antiviral treatments is an important part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination remains the most effective way of mitigating the risk of developing severe complications of COVID-19, including hospitalisation and death.
AB - Background The availability of oral antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 infection reduces the risk of severe, acute illness in people at higher risk for death and hospitalisation. Objective The process for antiviral prescription and dispensing in Australia is outlined using nationwide data. Discussion Australia has focused on providing rapid access to antivirals to high-risk people in the community via general practices and community pharmacies. Although the introduction of oral antiviral treatments is an important part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination remains the most effective way of mitigating the risk of developing severe complications of COVID-19, including hospitalisation and death.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85161638516&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.31128/AJGP-01-23-6673
DO - 10.31128/AJGP-01-23-6673
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85161638516
SN - 2208-794X
VL - 52
SP - 409
EP - 412
JO - Australian Journal of General Practice
JF - Australian Journal of General Practice
IS - 6
ER -
