Covid-19 treatments now available for use at home in Northern Ireland

Hundreds of high risk patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 are benefitting from treatment that no longer has to be administered in hospital.

Since mid-December, 350 patients in Northern Ireland have received the treatment at an outpatient unit or at home.

It's being seen as another breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus.

Neutralising Monoclonal Antibody treatment (nMABs) Sotrovimab is now being administered intravenously at an Outpatient COVID-19 Treatment Service, or the oral antiviral medicine Molnupiravir, can be prescribed to take at home. 

Sister Jenny Jenkins, lead nurse at the Ulster Hospital’s treatment centre said: “Hopefully this means patients in the community will not even have to hit hospital before they get this treatment.

"I think it is another help for those patients of a high risk nature."

Health bosses have said while the vaccination programme remains the first line of defence against COVID-19, these treatments have an important role in lowering the risk of severe illness and death and will also reduce the number of people who need to be admitted to hospital.