Australia has boosted its supplies of a lifesaving antibody treatment for COVID-19 shown to slash hospitalisation rates.
More than 15,000 additional doses of GlaxoSmithKline's Sotrovimab have arrived in the country over recent days.
It has been shown to reduce hospitalisation or death in patients with mild or moderate infections and who are at high risk of severe illness.
It is estimated between eight and 15 per cent of adults with COVID-19 will be recommended the drug.
It is administered through an intravenous (IV) infusion and needs to be given within five days of symptoms developing.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration granted provisional approved for the use of Sotrovimab in August.
Australia had increased its order to more than 31,000 doses. Final deliveries are expected to arrived throughout the remainder of the year.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has stressed vaccines remain the most important way to prevent infections, severe illness and death.
© AAP 2021
Image: Sage Ross, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons (image for illustration purposes only)