Treatment for COVID-19

You could be forgiven for thinking that COVID-19 is no longer a big deal, especially if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations including the booster doses you are eligible for. You may feel that the worst is behind us and are more relaxed about the virus; that you simply get COVID, then you recover.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. For many people, a COVID-19 infection can still cause serious health issues.

So that’s why it’s important to make a COVID plan this winter, in case you or a loved one catches it.

Know if you are eligible for a COVID-19 booster and whether you are at risk of getting very sick from the virus. The Pfizer bivalent vaccine produces an immune response against the original virus and BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants. From 1st May 2023, regardless of how many boosters you have had, you can get an additional booster if you are 30 years old and above or if you are pregnant and aged 16 or over, or aged 12-19 and at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.¹

Boosters are especially recommended for:

• all people over 65 years old
• Māori and Pacific people aged 50 and over
• pregnant people with health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19
• people with disability with significant or complex health needs
• people with serious mental health conditions
• young people aged 12 to 15 who have a medical condition that increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19 — talk to your usual doctor, nurse or healthcare provider about whether this is recommended and how to get a prescription.

To get a booster dose, you must have had your first two COVID-19 vaccinations (your primary course), and either:

• it has been at least 6 months since you had COVID-19, or
• it is at least 6 months since you had any other COVID-19 vaccine

Did you know you can also get your booster dose at the same time as your flu vaccination; this can be booked via ‘book my vaccine‘.

Please visit covid19.govt.nz for the most up-to-date information.

Make a plan for if you do catch COVID-19. Ask your pharmacist, doctor or hauroa provider if you are eligible for the antiviral, PAXLOVID or visit the Ministry of Health website.

PAXLOVID is an oral medicine you can take at home and is fully funded, meaning there’s no pharmacy charge, and it’s delivered to your door for free if you’re eligible.²

PAXLOVID can help reduce your risk of being admitted to hospital or dying by up to 86% when taken within 5 days of the first symptoms appearing.³

If you do test positive, go and put your plan into action. Call your healthcare providers as soon as you start experiencing symptoms. If you’re eligible, PAXLOVID must be started within 5 days of symptoms first appearing. So it’s important that you test as soon as you have symptoms, even if they’re only mild. Contact your GP, pharmacist or hauora provider by phone and not in person so that you don’t spread the virus.

PAXLOVID – How do you take it?
PAXLOVID tablets are taken every 12 hours, at about the same time each morning and evening, for 5 days in a row. Remember you must complete the full 5-day course of PAXLOVID, even if you start to feel better.

So, make a COVID plan this winter – Know, Plan, Go! For more information visit winterplan.co.nz

And if you or someone in your whanau is feeling unwell, get tested straightaway and check to see if you’re eligible for PAXLOVID. It could prevent you from getting very sick or worse.