A second oral antiviral for treating patients with COVID-19 at high risk of disease progression will be PBS listed from 1 May, the Federal Government says.

GPs will be able to write a script for nirmatrelvir–ritonavir (Paxlovid), and patients can fill it at their local pharmacy, Minister for Health Greg Hunt says.

The Pfizer combination therapy has been available through the National Medical Stockpile but will now be available on a script for adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are older than 65 and meet certain criteria putting them at higher-than-average risk.

The first oral antiviral to go on the PBS for mild COVID-19 — molnupiravir (Lagrevrio) — has been accessed by more than 5000 patients since it was listed on 1 March, Mr Hunt says.