Evusheld antibody treatment for high-risk groups will be available soon.
To ensure that high-risk individuals continue to be safeguarded from Covid-19 infection, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will begin delivering treatment with the monoclonal antibody medications Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab (Evusheld) in the near future.
The Evusheld antibody medications, according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, will now only be available in government hospitals and could be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for persons who have not yet been infected with Covid-19 but are at high risk of becoming sick.
The antibody medicines were administered through two consecutive intramuscular injections of Tixagevimab and Cilgavimab, according to Khairy.
He recommended giving Evusheld to immunocompromised individuals who had received the Covid-19 vaccine at least two weeks following vaccination.
Khairy went on to say that the treating physician would determine whether the patient was eligible to receive the antibody medicine.
Those aged 12 and up, weighing more than 40kg, and belonging to the moderate to severe immunocompromised category were among the selection criteria (taking into account the immune response of this group to Covid-19 vaccination which is unlikely to reach a satisfactory level of immunity).
Individuals who were unable to complete the immunisation due to medical reasons or who had a history of severe responses to the Covid-19 vaccine were also excluded.
Meanwhile, Khairy stated that therapy for Covid-19 patients using the antiviral medicine Paxlovid would be extended to a small number of private health facilities in the near future, ensuring better access to patients.
He went on to say that while Paxlovid medicine is distributed free of charge to patients in private health facilities, patients are still liable to consultation service charges and other relevant expenses set by the private health facility.
Paxlovid, an antiviral medicine that has been used in MOH health facilities since April 15, is the first oral antiviral drug to be used in Malaysia to treat Covid-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms (categories two and three).
Meanwhile, he stated that Paxlovid treatment was prioritised for Covid-19 patients who were at high risk.
Due to ever-improving medications and treatment procedures, the MOH believes and is convinced that Malaysia is now on the best track to navigate through the transition to endemic phase successfully and safely, according to Khairy.
