Free antiviral medicine is now available for some. You may be eligible if you:
- are Māori and 50 or over
- have a severely weakened immune system
- have three or more health conditions that put you at higher risk of getting seriously māuiui from COVID-19
- are living at the same whare as someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and you have symptoms.
The health conditions include common illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.
Pacific people aged 50 and over and all New Zealanders aged 65 and over may also be eligible for antiviral medicine.
Talk to your doctor or hauora provider now to find out if antiviral medicine is right for you.
You can read more about who is eligible on the Manatū Hauora COVID-19 Health Hub website.
How antiviral medicine works
Antiviral medicine is a relatively new tool in our defence against COVID-19. It is available in tablet form for most people and can be safely taken at home.
If you are eligible, the medicine fights the virus and reduces the amount of COVID-19 in your body. It reduces the chance you will get seriously māuiui.
The medicine is more effective the earlier you take it after getting COVID-19 symptoms. You will need to take antiviral medicine within the first five days of having symptoms. The sooner you take them the sooner you'll feel better.
Getting antiviral medicine
Not everyone needs antiviral medicine. It is only available for people who need it.
You can only get antiviral medicine from a pharmacy.
To get it, you must either:
- have a prescription from a doctor or hauora provider
- take a health check over the phone with a participating pharmacy.
You can get a prescription over the phone from your doctor and some hauora providers once you get COVID-19. Some whānau can get an advanced prescription before they get COVID-19. Not all hauora providers can prescribe the medicine, so it's a good idea to contact yours now to check whether they do.
If you have a severely weakened immune system or three or more health conditions that put you at risk, you may talk to your doctor or hauora provider about getting an advance prescription for the medicine. This means the pharmacist will have the prescription ready to use if you become unwell.
If you don’t have a prescription, it’s okay. You can call your local pharmacy that supplies antiviral medicine and take a health check over the phone once you have COVID-19 symptoms. This will take between 5-30 minutes.
Use our online map to find a pharmacy near you that supplies antiviral medicine.
Most people will need to have a positive RAT test result. You can take the test at home. However, if you live at the same whare as someone who has COVID-19, you may be eligible for antiviral medicine even if you haven’t got a positive result. You will still have to have COVID-19 symptoms to be eligible.
The medicine must be supplied from a pharmacy. If you don’t live near a pharmacy or can’t get anyone to pick up the medicine for you, the pharmacy will deliver the medicine to you for free, even if you live in a rural area.
Get prepared now
Getting antiviral medicine is easy, but it’s best to have a plan.
Talk to your doctor or hauora provider now to find out if antiviral medicine is right for you.
You don’t need to leave home to get antiviral medicine. Remember, if you get COVID-19, you are required to stay at home for seven days.
Talk with your whānau and friends to see if they will pick up the medicine for you if you get COVID-19. If you can’t get anyone to pick the medicine up for you, the pharmacy will deliver it to you for free.
You will need to take a positive RAT test before you get the medicine. You can take the test at home. The only exception is people who have symptoms and are 18 and over and living at the same whare as someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Make sure you have enough RAT tests at home to make sure you are ready to take a COVID-19 test. Use our online map to find a RAT test near you.
Not all pharmacies supply antiviral medicine. If your local pharmacy doesn’t supply antiviral medicine, they will provide you with contact details for the nearest pharmacy that does.
Use our online map to find the nearest pharmacy near you that supplies antiviral medicine.
