The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 17) said that the recent periodic upsurge of COVID-19 in Hong Kong has ended, with relevant indicators declining to the low levels recorded before April this year. In view of the fact that COVID-19 has been managed in the same way as an upper respiratory tract illness and in response to the significant decrease in the demand for COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs, the special arrangement of providing free oral antiviral drugs to private doctors for prescribing to eligible patients, which has been in place during the pandemic, will be discontinued on July 29. The Government reminded the private doctors to make their own arrangements with the relevant drug dealer if they intend to provide patients with locally registered COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs. Meanwhile, the public medical service will continue to prescribe COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs to patients with clinical needs in accordance with the arrangement for general drugs.
      
End of COVID-19's periodic upsurge

     There was a drastic upsurge in the level of COVID-19 activity in Hong Kong since April of this year, reaching its peak in mid-May. According to the latest surveillance data (as of the week ending July 12), all indicators of COVID-19 activity have dropped back to the low levels recorded before April. For sewage surveillance, the per capita viral load of SARS-CoV-2 virus decreased from around 770 000 copy/litre in mid-May to around 140 000 copy/litre in the most recent week; the percentage of respiratory samples tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus also dropped from a peak of 13.80 per cent to 2.53 per cent in the most recent week. 
      
COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs
      
     COVID-19 has become a common respiratory viral infection. For the general public, symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infections are generally mild. Meanwhile, the monthly average number of treatment courses of COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs prescribed by private doctors to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients this year has dropped significantly compared to the past two years. Taking into account the above factors, the Government will end the special arrangement on July 29. This arrangement provided private doctors with free COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs for prescribing to eligible patients during the pandemic. Private doctors can still provide free prescriptions to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients on or before July 28.
      
     The Government reminded private doctors that if they intend to provide patients with COVID-19 oral antiviral drug registered in Hong Kong, they can order them directly from the drug dealer, prescribe the drug to patients and charge them. Members of the public with clinical needs may continue to make appointments for general out-patient clinic (GOPC) services through the GOPC Telephone Appointment System or the "Book GOPC" function on the Hospital Authority's (HA) one-stop mobile application "HA Go". GOPCs under the HA will continue to prescribe the relevant drugs to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients with clinical needs according to their treatment guidelines. For more details of the GOPC services, please visit the GOPC website: www.ha.org.hk/goto/gopc/en.
      
     During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has been providing two COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs, procured by the HA, to private doctors for free prescription to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients with clinical needs since April 2022. This arrangement was intended to mobilise all available healthcare manpower, including private doctors, for anti-epidemic support during the raging epidemic. Private doctors who have registered with the Electronic Health Record Sharing System could request the provision of the COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs via a dedicated online platform. They must follow the relevant treatment guidelines set out by the HA and are not allowed to charge their patients any fees for the COVID-19 oral antiviral drugs. As of June 30 this year, approximately 200 000 treatment courses were prescribed by private doctors to eligible COVID-19 confirmed patients for free.
      
     Severe COVID-19 cases primarily affect the elderly, the children and individuals with underlying illnesses. Scientific data has conclusively proven that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective in minimising the risk of severe disease or death. Members of the public who have not received the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (including infants and children) should get vaccinated timely. Those at high risk should receive a booster dose as soon as possible. For more information on COVID-19 vaccination, please visit COVID-19 Vaccination Programme webpage. Although the periodic upsurge of COVID-19 has ended, there has been an upward trend in local influenza activity in Hong Kong recently. Members of the public should remain vigilant and maintain stringent personal, environmental and hand hygiene at all times.

Ends/Thursday, July 17, 2025
Issued at HKT 15:00

NNNN