DHSC extends prescription charge waiver for Covid-19 antivirals

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has extended prescription charge waiver for Covid-19 antivirals till March 31, 2023.

Covid-19 patients who are eligible to receive antiviral treatments for the infection via Covid Medicines Delivery Units (CMDUs) will be supplied these medicines for free.

DHSC said: "Where this cohort of patients are not already eligible for free prescriptions, the antiviral medicines will continue to be supplied free of charge."

It also announced that this waiver will also apply to therapeutic treatments that are being made available through the NIHR funded HEAL-COVID clinical trial platform treating patients who have been hospitalised for Covid-19, for long-term effects and STIMULATE ICP treating community patients for long Covid.

However, the government ended the free Covid-19 tests for the general public from today (April 1), while healthcare workers, social care staff and the most vulnerable are still eligible to get Covid-19 tests without any charge.

Earlier, prime minister Boris Johnson announced that 'free tests would end on April 1, saying the country could not afford their cost.'

Chancellor Rishi Sunak too had insisted that it was no longer feasible for his department to spend £2 billion a month on free testing.