Molnupiravir pills are available at pharmacies. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HCM CITY — HCM City has called on the Ministry of Health to issue guidelines for prescribing and distributing molnupiravir pills to COVID-19 patients undergoing home treatment.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Nguyễn Thị Huỳnh Mai, the city Department of Health’s chief officer, said since molnupiravir is an anti-viral drug, COVID patients need prescriptions from doctors to use it, and the doctors must be accountable for making the prescription.

“Strict management of anti-viral drugs aims to protect users. It also prevents the inappropriate use of drugs leading to drug resistance that makes treatment more difficult.”

The department would oversee the sales of molnupiravir and inspect bills at pharmacies, she said.

More than 2,500 private pharmacies are working with medical centres and mobile clinics to support COVID-19 treatment at home.

They are providing equipment and medicines such as rapid test kits, pulse oximeters and disinfectants at reasonable prices.

Trịnh Duy Trọng of the Department of Education and Training said while admittedly the number of COVID cases at schools has increased, the city is continuing to keep schools open with preventive protocols issued by the health ministry.

Schools do provide online lessons for students who have COVID or were in close contact with patients, he said.

But he warned about a likely gap in performance between students studying online and at school.

The department has instructed educational institutions to pay closer attention to students at home and help them learn properly until they return to school.

According to the city Centre for Disease Control, more than 6,000 students tested positive for COVID in the last seven days.

The health and education departments will provide more rapid test kits to public schools to help discover infections quickly. — VNS