Awareness of COVID-19 antivirals has risen in recent weeks, thanks in large part to media coverage. -EPA
Australian children aged 12 to 15 who are at risk for serious illness will be eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine from next week.
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization has recommended extending eligibility for Pfizer reinforcement to around 120,000 children from 14 June.
They must have received the second dose at least three months ago, be severely immunocompromised, have a disability with significant health needs, or have complex or multiple health conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19.
Otherwise, healthy children who have received two doses of vaccine are still considered well protected from serious illness.
Health Minister Mark Butler welcomed the recommendation on Thursday and encouraged anyone eligible to book their reinforcements.
Meanwhile, the adoption of life-saving COVID-19 antivirals by Australians is slowly increasing as authorities seek to simplify their distribution criteria.
Awareness of the drugs Lagevrio and Paxlovid has risen in recent weeks, thanks in large part to media coverage. However, there is still a long way to go.
The vice-president of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Chris Moy, said the top body was working with authorities to further promote antivirals.
He said one of the biggest challenges remained getting people to take them within five days of the onset of their symptoms, the mandatory time period for access.
They should also test positive for the virus before taking it.
“In the five-day window, sometimes some people don’t get tested on time,” Dr. Moy told the AAP.
“There is (also) a subgroup that would probably never want it anyway … some of them may be those who have not wanted to get vaccinated before.”
He said it was the responsibility of the healthcare system to let Australians know that antivirals were an important second line of defense to alleviate the risk of serious illness.
“It could make the difference between life and death for some people and also reduce the chances of them ending up in the hospital,” Dr. Moy said.
Antiviral drugs are listed in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and can be accessed according to their guidelines, but there are also state regulations that may vary.
“And also some of them don’t match the PBS guidelines,” Dr. Moy said.
“Sometimes it’s hard for a GP to figure out what to do when they find out a patient is stuck between different criteria.”
He said some patients could be referred to state authorities for the medicine.
Dr. Moy said authorities were looking to simplify guidelines for the distribution of antiviral drugs so that there could be harmony at all levels.
LATEST DETAILS OF COVID-19 THE 24 HOURS:
NSW: 8201 cases, 21 deaths, 1263 in hospital and 40 in ICU.
Victory: 8903 cases, 22 dead, 517 in hospital and 29 in the ICU.
Queensland: 3861 cases, nine dead, 297 in hospital and 11 in ICU.
SA: 2801 cases, no deaths, 234 in hospital and five in the ICU.
Tasmania: 624 cases, one death, 37 in hospital and one in the ICU.
NT: 250 cases, one death, 16 in hospital without going to the ICU
WA: 7871 cases, five dead, 293 in hospital and 16 in ICU.