The first shipment of the COVID-19 oral drug Paxlovid arrived in Hong Kong yesterday (March 14) and has been distributed to the Hospital Authority (HA) for application today (March 15), while subsequent shipments of Paxlovid are due to arrive in Hong Kong in the next few months to meet the demand of Hong Kong people.

     COVID-19 oral drugs are instrumental to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's effort in treating patients infected with COVID-19. Apart from the shipment of Paxlovid that arrived in Hong Kong yesterday, the HA has also introduced another COVID-19 oral drug, Molnupiravir, earlier on.

     The HA will prescribe these two kinds of COVID-19 oral drugs as appropriate for in-patients of HA hospitals and patients of designated clinics, with reference to the clinical guidelines and based on the condition of patients concerned. The HA Community Geriatric Assessment Teams provide medical and nursing service provision through outreach services and tele-consultations to patients infected with COVID-19 and staying at residential care homes for the elderly. Doctors of these teams will also prescribe COVID-19 oral drugs according to the clinical guidelines and patients' condition. Noting that private hospitals are rendering medical support to patients infected with COVID-19 through various means, the HA will supply the relevant COVID-19 drugs on loan to private hospitals under the established mechanism with a view to reinforcing the relevant treatment offered to COVID-19 patients.

     Through the HA and in consultation with experts, the Government has procured an appropriate amount of COVID-19 oral drugs and will continue the procurement and stockpiling of these drugs.

Ends/Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Issued at HKT 12:50

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