THE anti-viral Paxlovid to treat Covid-19 patients will be made available at certain private hospitals for free, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said.

In a tweet, he said this move was part of the government’s aim to expand access to new anti-viral treatments as the country transitions to endemicity.

“Paxlovid for patients at private facilities will be given for free. However, patients will still be subject to service and other charges set by the private healthcare facilities,” he also said in a statement that he posted on Twitter.

Khairy said Paxlovid will be made available in private healthcare facilities soon, but did not specify when.

The ministry began using Paxlovid in government hospitals on April 15, the first oral anti-viral to be used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.

Khairy said that as of June 5, 1,364 patients had been treated with Paxlovid and made a full recovery with no severe side effects. 

Another drug, an antibody called Evusheld, will also be made available in Malaysia soon for immunocompromised people and those unable to take Covid-19 vaccines.

Evusheld will only be dispensed at government hospitals, Khairy added.

Developed by AstraZeneca, Evusheld will be used to give pre-exposure protection for those who have not contracted Covid-19 and are in the high-risk category.

“Studies have shown that the antibody Evusheld can protect the recipient from Covid-19 for 6 months after receiving it,” Khairy said.

Evusheld comprises two injections of different drugs, Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab, which are given one after another immediately.

Those who want to receive Evusheld must first be assessed by a doctor, the minister added.

To qualify for the antibody, a person must be 12 years of age or older, weigh above 40kg, be moderately to severely immunocompromised, and unable to receive a Covid-19 vaccine due to health reasons or severe adverse reactions to vaccination. – June 8, 2022.