COVID-19 treatment for people in the community
Treatment for COVID-19 is available for people who are not in hospital but who are considered at the highest risk of becoming severely ill and being admitted to hospital. It is recommended that these treatments are started within 5 days of your symptoms starting to be of most benefit.
If you believe you are eligible for antiviral treatment after testing positive for COVID-19 and you are a Welsh resident you should contact your GP who will be able to assess your symptoms and if they are appropriate for you will be able to prescribe you antiviral medicines. If you have any contraindications to antiviral treatment, they may refer you to a hospital for an alternative form of therapy (sotrovimab) which needs to be given by injection in a hospital.
Who is eligible to receive these treatments?
Treatment for COVID-19 is available for individuals who are not in hospital but who are considered at the highest risk of becoming severely ill and being admitted to hospital. This will include some people, but not everyone who was advised to shield during the pandemic.
The highest risk group includes people who have:
- Down’s syndrome
- a rare condition affecting the brain or nerves (including multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, Huntington’s disease or myasthenia gravis)
- sickle cell disease
- certain types of cancer
- HIV or AIDS
- a severe liver condition (such as cirrhosis)
- chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5
- had an organ transplant
- certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease)
- a condition or treatment that makes you more likely to get infections
- had certain types of chemotherapy in the last 12 months
- had radiotherapy in the last 12 months
Visit the page Get tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) | GOV.WALES for information on how to get tested.