A health expert is praising the Government's latest moves to combat COVID-19 saying wider access to antiviral medicine will save lives.
Pharmac confirmed on Thursday it would further increase access to Paxlovid, Molnupiravir and Remdesivir, with 400,000 more people now eligible for antiviral medicine to help fight the virus.
From Monday, anyone over the age of 75 who has tested positive for the virus will have access to three antivirals through their GP.
The medicines are up to 90-percent effective at preventing hospitalisation or death if taken within four days of being sick.
Infectious Diseases Expert Professor Kurt Krause told Newshub Late on Thursday the announcement by the Government was exciting as it will improve a system that he says wasn't working.
"I was pretty happy about this one because New Zealand has had these medications for some time, but the current system really has not been working," he said.
"It hasn't been getting the medicines to the people who need them because the access has been very difficult, and there's been a lot of hoops you have to jump through."
The announcement comes as COVID-19 case numbers start to rise in New Zealand. On Thursday, there were 11,382 new community infections reported – some of the highest daily figures since early April.
Krause told Newshub Late the announcement on antivirals will save lives.
"So what's happened now is that if you're 75 and older, you have a streamlined pathway in order to get these medicines, which are Paxlovid, Molnupiravir and Remdesivir," he said.
"I think that's potentially great news because, COVID is trending up, hospitals are under pressure, there's a lot more admissions and people need help.
"So this will help speed lifesaving medicines into the hands of people who need it, at the time they need it."
Krause is urging Kiwis to remember the key health measures to slow the spread of the virus.
"We don't want to lose track of the key elements of what we've been doing for COVID all along, which is wearing masks, doing social distancing, and making sure that when we're sick, we stay isolated from one another," he said.
"Masking has slipped a little bit, but now is a good time to reinvigorate that and all these things together, we hope that we'll be dampening out the curve."
It wasn't just Krause encouraging a better uptake in mask-wearing, with Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield having a stern message for people who don't like wearing them.
"If any of you people out there are not wearing a mask because it's a bit of a hassle or uncomfortable, I just want you to think of our health and disability workers who are wearing masks day in, day out, during their entire time at work while they are dealing with this pressure," he said.
"My plea to you is if they can do it, then you can do it."
Watch the full interview with Kurt Krause above.
