Antiviral services across Wales
– Information for Members of the Public
The supply of treatments for COVID-19 for the most vulnerable individuals across Wales who have not been admitted to hospital has changed. If you believe that you are eligible for antiviral treatment, you should contact your GP for assessment.
Healthcare professionals can access further information via the healthcare professionals site.
COVID-19 treatment for people in the community
Treatment for COVID-19 is available for people who are not in hospital but who are considered at highest risk of becoming severely ill and being admitted to hospital. It is recommended that these treatments are started within 5 days of your symptoms starting to be of most benefit.
In Wales, supply of these treatments is via GP services or out-of-hours urgent primary care service.
Who is eligible to receive these treatments?
Treatment for COVID-19 is available for individuals who are not in hospital but who are considered at highest risk of becoming severely ill and being admitted to hospital. This will include some people, but not everyone who was advised to shield during the pandemic. Some people who were previously shielding now have a much lower risk of severe disease following COVID-19 vaccination.
The highest risk group includes people who have:
- Down’s syndrome
- certain types of cancer
- had certain types of chemotherapy in the last 12 months
- had radiotherapy in the last 12 months
- had a haematological stem cell transplant (HSCT)
- sickle cell disease
- certain non-cancer related blood diseases
- chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5 or kidney transplant
- a severe liver condition (such as cirrhosis or liver transplant)
- had an organ transplant
- certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease)
- conditions that affect breathing (including those with asthma who have taken medicines that makes them more likely to get infections, or COPD)
- a condition or treatment that makes you more likely to get infections
- HIV or AIDS
- certain conditions affecting the brain or nerves (including motor neurone disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or Huntington’s disease)
Information about how you can be assessed for treatment can be found below.
How will I get tested?
Visit the page Get tested for coronavirus (COVID-19) | GOV.WALES for information on how to get tested.
Take a test as soon as you get symptoms of COVID-19. If your test is negative but your symptoms persist, you should take another test on the next day (day 2). If it is still negative, test again on day 3. If your tests on day 2 and day 3 are negative, it’s unlikely you have COVID-19.
How will I get treatment?
If you believe you are eligible for antiviral treatment after testing positive for COVID-19 and you are a Welsh resident, you should contact your GP and state:
- you have symptoms of COVID-19
- you have tested positive for COVID-19
- you believe you are in the highest risk group and are eligible for treatment
Your GP will be able to assess your symptoms and if they are appropriate for you will be able to prescribe you antiviral medicines.
What treatments are there for COVID-19?
Two options are currently available in Wales for citizens who have not been admitted to hospital:
- Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid®)
- If Paxlovid® is not suitable, you may be offered treatment with molnupiravir (Lagevrio®)
The choice of which treatment may be best for you will be influenced by factors such as what medical conditions you have and what medicines you currently take. You can discuss these options and which would be best for you when you are assessed by your GP.
Sotrovimab is no longer being used to treat people with COVID-19 in Wales. This applies to GP, community and hospital settings.
For more information:
- Video on the treatments, produced by Swansea Bay University Health Board – in Welsh or English
- COVID-19 treatments for people in the community – patient information leaflet (Welsh translation available soon)
- Molnupiravir – bilingual pregnancy and side effects patient information leaflet
10 Mar 26
Sotrovimab removed as a treatment option in line with updated All Wales Primary Care Antimicrobial Guidelines.
22 Oct 25
Statement on sotrovimab no longer being used in Cardiff and Vale UHB added.
03 Jun 25
Information on how to access treatment updated. Self referral portal removed.
19 May 25
Expiry date extension information removed.
06 Jun 24
Updated Covid-19 treatments patient information leaflet added.
04 Jul 23
Updated link to self-referral portal.
25 May 23
Updated to reflect new service provision across the Health Boards rather than a single national service.
22 Dec 22
Expiry date extension information added.
21 Nov 22
Self-referral form link added.
29 Jul 22
Service alert removed.
07 Jul 22
Service update alert.
06 Apr 22
Published.
