As New Zealand moves into the next phase of the pandemic, the Government needs to move urgently on next generation treatments for Covid-19 and make them available to Kiwis, says National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop.

“After pressure from National, the Government signed purchase agreements for Molnupiravir and Paxlovid last year. But Medsafe has only just approved Paxlovid and it won’t arrive here for weeks, while Molnupiravir is still being considered for approval.

“Meanwhile, the Australian Government approved both Molnupiravir and Paxlovid in January 2022 and the treatments are already being rolled out to Australians.

“Yet again, our Government is slow off the mark.

“New Zealand had last-mover advantage so we should be ten steps ahead by now, and instead we’re ten steps behind – just like we were with vaccines and rapid antigen tests.

“Molnupiravir and Paxlovid are precisely the sort of treatments that New Zealand needs in our Covid response toolkit.

“Both treatments are very exciting in that they can be taken orally by people in their own homes, without the need to go to hospital.

“They are effective at treating mild to moderate Covid-19 in adults 18 years and older who are at risk of needing to be hospitalised – like elderly people or those with existing medical conditions. They would give our vulnerable people some reassurance as New Zealand moves out of the restrictions.

“The Government needs to pick up the phone and do whatever it can to get as much Paxlovid here as quickly as possible, then move quickly to get Molnupiravir approved.”