Accessing treatments for COVID-19

Published on: 12 July 2022

Treatments are available for those at highest risk of becoming seriously ill. 

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Antibody and antiviral treatments are available to people with COVID-19 who are at highest risk of becoming seriously ill. You may be at highest risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19 if you have cancer, including blood cancers such as lymphoma. These treatments can help some people to manage COVID-19 symptoms and reduce the risk of becoming seriously ill or being admitted to hospital.

Some treatments must be given within 5 days of developing COVID-19 symptoms. You can only use tests supplied by GOV.UK or 119 to access treatments and must report your COVID-19 lateral flow test result on GOV.UK. 

If you have reported a positive test, the NHS should contact you within 24-48 hours. If you have not been contacted, call your GP, 111, your medical team or your health board, who can make an urgent referral to a COVID Medicines Delivery Unit on your behalf.

We have more detailed information on our website, which includes information about the COVID-19 treatments available, who can have them and how to access them.

Key points:

  • Take a test as soon as you experience symptoms, however mild, as some treatments need to be started within 5 days.
  • You can only use tests supplied by GOV.UK or 119 to access treatments so if you are eligible for treatment make sure you already have these available. 
  • Report your COVID-19 lateral flow test result on GOV.UK.
  • If your test is negative, but you still have symptoms, take another test on each of the next 2 days (3 tests in total over 3 days)
  • If you test positive for COVID-19, it’s important to start treatment as soon as you can. If you have reported your positive test result, the NHS will usually call you within 24 hours of the results. 
  • If you have not been contacted within 24 hours of your positive test, but you think that you may be eligible for COVID-19 treatments, call your GP, specialist or 111 and ask for an urgent referral for COVID-19 treatment. 

Accessing COVID-19 treatments may vary depending on whether you are in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. We have summarised what you need to do to access the treatments in each of the four nations on our website.

You can find out more about accessing treatments:

Published: 12 July 2022