With a winter COVID-19 wave of infections underway, the federal government is drawing on the nation's medical stockpile.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says the most vulnerable in the community will, from Monday, the 11th of July, be eligible for anti-viral COVID-19 treatments.
Up, until now, the antiviral drugs have been restricted to older Australians with high risk factors.
Now, anyone aged 70 and over will have access, and so will those aged 50 and over with two or more risk factors, such as pre-existing medical conditions.
The same rules will apply to indigenous Australians aged 30 years and over.
One difference between this COVID-19 wave and others that the country has faced is this time, workers cannot reply on an emergency sick leave payment from the federal government.
Mr Butler is defending the decision to end the payment.
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