Source: Waikato District Health Board
28 December 2022
Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand wants to remind you that while you may be enjoying a hard earned break, COVID-19 is still active in our community and we want to ensure you do all you can to have a safe-as Waikato summer.
COVID-19 antivirals are medicines used to treat COVID-19 infection.
They reduce the amount of virus in your body and may help you become less sick and stay out of hospital. Most antivirals are available in tablet form and can be safely taken at home.
If you are eligible, the medicine fights the virus and reduces the amount of COVID-19 in your body. It reduces the chance you will get seriously māuiui (sick).
Antiviral medication is more effective the earlier you take it after getting COVID-19 symptoms. You will need to take antiviral medicine within the first five days of having symptoms. The sooner you take them the sooner you’ll feel better.
You may be eligible for free antiviral medicine if you:
· Māori or Pacific people aged 50 or over
· everyone aged 65 or over
· anyone aged 50 or over with fewer than 2 COVID-19 vaccinations
· anyone with a severely weakened immune system
· anyone with Down syndrome
· anyone with sickle cell disease
· anyone who has previously been in critical or high dependency hospital care from COVID-19
· anyone with 3 or more high-risk medical conditions.
The health conditions include common illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease.
Check the Unite Against COVID-19 website https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-isolation/if-you-have-covid-19/medicines-to-treat-covid-19/ or phone Healthline on 0800 358 5453 to see if you are eligible for COVID-19 antivirals.
COVID-19 Antiviral medication is available from the following pharmacies, including over the public holidays on 02-03 January 2023.
Pharmacies able to provide Antiviral medication opening hours 02-03 January 2023
Pharmacy Location Phone Open Prescription
Anglesea Pharmacy Hamilton 07 8393999 8am-11pm with or without prescription
Countdown Pharmacy Te Rapa 07 8341455 10am-6pm with prescription
Life Pharmacy Chartwell 07 8556024 10am-6pm with prescription
Raglan Pharmacy Raglan 07 8258164 9am-1pm with prescription
Sanders Pharmacy Te Awamutu 07 8720564 9am-3pm with or without prescription
Stephensons Unichem Whitianga 07 866 5319 8.30am-5.30pm with prescription
Tairua- Pauanui Tairua 07 8648660 10am-5pm with prescription
Tui Pharmacy Te Rapa 07 9030058 Opt 3 8am-5pm with prescription
Unichem Hamilton Hamilton 07 5950868 8am-8.30pm with or without prescription
Unichem Rototuna Rototuna 07 8546952 8am-8pm with prescription
Unichem Tokoroa Tokoroa 07 8867584 4pm-6pm with prescription
Unichem Whangamata Whangamata 07 8659398 9am-5pm with or without prescription
Whangamata Pharmacy Whangamata 07 8658246 8.30am-5.30pm with or without prescription
