'Game-changing' at-home covid treatment could be offered before Christmas

5 December 2021, 09:53

The first at-home treatment for covid could be offered to vulnerable patients before Christmas in the race to protect them from the Omicron variant.

The Molnupiravir antiviral pill - also known as Lagevrio - was approved for use last month in the UK, the first country to do so.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid described the move as a "game-changer".

The Sunday Telegraph reports the NHS is expected to deliver the treatment to clinically vulnerable and immunosuppressed patients who test positive for coronavirus within 48 hours.

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Hospitals and GPs have reportedly been informed that coronavirus medicine delivery units have been established to deliver the treatment as quickly as possible after a clinically vulnerable person contracts the virus.

It comes after England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty cautioned the public over the pill, saying: "I think we probably need to do a rethink of it just to make sure with the new variant, we're targeting in the right direction."

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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "The UK has proven itself to be a world-leader in identifying and rolling out effective treatments for Covid-19, including through Government-backed national trials.

"The Government's antivirals taskforce was launched to identify treatments for UK patients who have been exposed to Covid-19 to take at home, stopping the infection spreading and speeding up recovery time.

"There are a number of exciting opportunities in the pipeline and we will provide further details in due course."