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Guidance on COVID-19 treatments

What to do if you test positive for COVID-19?

Please report positive COVID-19 test results directly to your General Practitioner (GP) who will carry out a clinical assessment and provide treatment if indicated.

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.

If you fall within any of these you may be eligible for COVID-19 antiviral treatment:

  • People on the organ transplant waiting list
  • People with end-stage heart failure who have long-term ventricular assistance devices
  • People with down’s syndrome and other genetic disorders
  • People with certain types of cancer and those who received cancer treatments within the last 12 months (chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery)
  • Those with certain conditions affecting the blood or have received a haematological stem cell transplant
  • People with sickle cell disease
  • People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5 or kidney transplant
  • Individuals with a severe liver condition (such as cirrhosis or liver transplant)
  • Those who had an organ transplant
  • People with certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions (such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease) who may be receiving certain medications
  • People with conditions that affect breathing (including those with asthma who have taken medicines that makes them more likely to get infections, or COPD)
  • an impaired immune system due to either a condition or certain medications
  • People with HIV or AIDS
  • People with a rare neurological condition (such as multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, motor neurone disease or myasthenia gravis)

Where to access lateral flow tests?

Lateral flow tests can be collected from participating community pharmacies. Please search for the participating pharmacies in your local area via the NHS111 website