The Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) has informed that the use of the antiviral drug Paxlovid has started in MOH health facilities since April 15 to treat COVID-19 patients. Paxlovid is the first oral antiviral drug in Malaysia to treat COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms or categories 2 and 3.
The priority of Paxlovid treatment is to the high-risk group of COVID-19 patients. As of June 5, 2022, a total of 1,364 patients were given Paxlovid treatment and have fully recovered and no severe side effects have been reported. This treatment has proven to be safe and effective and can reduce the severe effects of infection and mortality of COVID-19 patients.
Although Malaysia has entered the Transition to Endemic Phase and the country’s borders have also been opened, high-risk groups such as the elderly and individuals with comorbidities, i including those who have not been vaccinated, must be given the best protection to avoid the effects of COVID-19 infection. bad.
Therefore, to ensure better access to patients, treatment using Paxlovid will be extended to selected private health facilities in the near future.
For information, the administration of Paxlovid to patients in private health facilities is free of charge. However, patients are still subject to consultation service charges and other related charges determined by the private health facility.
In addition, the MOH, in an effort to ensure that high-risk groups continue to receive optimal protection from COVID-19 infection, will begin treatment with the monoclonal antibody drug Tixagevimab plus Cilgavimab (EVUSHELD) in the near future.
Studies show that EVUSHELD antibody drugs can protect recipients from COVID-19 infection for a period of six (6) months after injection.
For now, this EVUSHELD antibody-drug will only be given in government hospitals and it can be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for people who have not been infected with COVID-19 but are at high risk for infection.
The assessment of the patient’s eligibility to receive this antibody drug will be done by the treating Physician and the patient selection criteria are as follows:
• Aged 12 years and above;
• Weighing more than 40 kg; DAN
• Among moderate to severe lmmunocompromised groups. This takes into account the immune response of this group to COVID-19 vaccination which may not reach a satisfactory level of immunity; OR
• Individuals who are unable to take the vaccine completely due to medical reasons or have a history of severe reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine.
The method of administration of antibodies is through two separate intramuscular injections of two (2) types of drugs, namely Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab, and given consecutively. For immunocompromised patients who have received COVID-19 vaccine, EVUSHELD should be given at least two (2) weeks after vaccination.
