Post-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 is when medication is taken after you have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 to help build up protection against COVID-19, and therefore reduce the chance of developing severe COVID-19 or dying.

Post-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 is not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.

Prophylaxis after exposure to COVID-19 is only used for specific patients and in specific circumstances.

Post-exposure prophylaxis is used for patients who are:

• at high risk of progressing to be hospitalized or dying if they get COVID-19 and
• have not been fully vaccinated or their immune system is not expected to respond to a completed course of COVID19 vaccine and
• they have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or
• they live or work in an institutional setting where someone else has COVID-19 and they are at a high risk of exposure.

Drugs used to treat Post-Exposure Prophylaxis of COVID-19