Covid-19: Over 1,300 patients recovered after Paxlovid treatment, says KJ

PETALING JAYA: More than 1,300 Covid-19 patients have been successfully treated with the antiviral drug Paxlovid at Health Ministry facilities since April 15.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Paxlovid was the first oral antiviral used in Malaysia to treat patients with mild to moderate symptoms, or Categories 2 and 3.

“The priority of Paxlovid treatment is to the high-risk group.

“As of June 5, a total of 1,364 patients were given Paxlovid treatment and have fully recovered and no severe side effects have been reported.

“This treatment has proven to be safe and effective and can reduce the severe effects of infection and mortality among Covid-19 patients,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (June 8).

Khairy added that although Malaysia has entered into endemicity and national borders have been reopened, high-risk groups such as senior citizens and individuals with comorbidities, including those who have not received vaccination, must be given the best protection in order to avoid getting the effects of severe Covid-19 infection.

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“Therefore, to ensure better access to patients, treatment using Paxlovid will be extended to selected private health facilities in the near future,” he said.

Khairy explained that the dispensing of Paxlovid to patients in private health facilities will be free of charge.

“However, patients are still subject to consultation service charges and other related charges as determined by the private health facility,” he added.

Meanwhile, Khairy said in an effort to ensure that high-risk groups continue to receive optimal protection from Covid-19 infection, the ministry will begin treatment with the monoclonal antibody drug Tixagevimab plus Cilgavimab (Evusheld) soon.

“Studies show that Evusheld can protect Covid-19 patients for a period of six months after injection.

“For now, this drug will only be given in government hospitals and it can be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for people who have not been infected with Covid-19 but are at high risk of becoming infected,” he said.

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The assessment of the patient's eligibility to receive this drug will be made by the treating physician.

“The patient must also be 12 years old and above; weigh over 40 kg; and fall in the moderate to severe immunocompromised group.

“This takes into account the immune response of this group to Covid-19 vaccination which is unlikely to reach a satisfactory level of immunity; or individuals who are unable to take the vaccine completely due to medical reasons or have a history of severe reactions to Covid-19 vaccine,” he said.

Evusheld is administered through two separate intramuscular injections of the two drugs, namely Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab, given consecutively.

“For immunocompromised patients who have received Covid-19 vaccine, Evusheld should be given at least two weeks after vaccination,” he said.

Khairy added that the ministry was always striving to prepare and equip the national health system with safe and high-quality equipment and medicines to protect the entire population in Malaysia from being infected with Covid-19 or suffering the effects of severe infection.

“With the availability of medicines and treatment methods that are constantly being improved, the Ministry believes and is confident that Malaysia is now on the best track to go through this transition to an endemic phase effectively and safely.

“The ministry will (remain) committed to improving the population's access to medicines for the treatment or prevention of Covid-19 transmission in Malaysia and ensure that the number of deaths due to Covid-19 and Covid-19 patients treated in intensive care units (ICU) are low and controlled,” he said.