NEWLY identified cases of COVID-19 across the Western Plains have dropped slightly in the past 24 hours on the same day as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) brings forward new ways of combatting the virus both before and post infection.

Today (20 January), the TGA granted provisional approval for two oral COVID-19 treatments along with a new vaccine option, all of which is anticipated to start being available to Australians over the next month.

The two oral treatments, called molnupiravir (LAGEVRIO) and nirmatrelvir + ritonavir (PAXLOVID), have been approved for the treatment of adults with COVID-19 who do not require initiation of oxygen and are at increased risk of progression to hospitalisation or death.

In a statement, the TGA said either medicine - LAGEVRIO is in capsule form while PAXLOVID is two tablets - must be prescribed and should be administered twice a day for five days as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within 5 days of the start of symptoms.

"LAGEVRIO works by inhibiting replication of the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” the statement said.

“Regarding PLAXLOVID, the nirmatrelvir component blocks the activity of a protease enzyme that the coronavirus needs in order to replicate.

"Nirmatrelvir is administered in combination with low-dose ritonavir to maintain plasma levels of nirmatrelvir for the duration of the treatment.”

According to the TGA, although the review process of both medicines was rigorous, neither product is intended to be used as a substitute for vaccination against the virus and approval of these treatments are subject to strict conditions.

Both medicines are also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and sexually active women of child-bearing age - and men in the case of LAGEVRIO - should use contraception during and three months following treatment.

"PAXLOVID must also not be used with a number of other commonly used medicines, either because for some medicines this may lead to potentially harmful increases in their blood levels, or in the case of some other medicines they may reduce the activity of PAXLOVID," the TGA said.

"PAXLOVID must also not be used in patients with severely reduced kidney or liver function."

While speaking to ABC Radio earlier today, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said both products were expected to arrive in coming weeks, after the government secured 500,000 courses of PAXLOVID and 300,000 courses of LAGEVRIO.

However, he also said not everyone who contracts Covid-19 will need medication - with people at the most risk of severe disease including the elderly a high priority - and vaccination remained the best protection against the virus.

The TGA also announced today the provisional approval for the protein subunit vaccine NUVAXOVID, the first to protein vaccine to receive regulatory approval in Australia and is approved for use in people 18 years and older.

"Protein vaccines use a non-infectious component found on the surface of the coronavirus and are manufactured in cells in a laboratory," the TGA said in a statement.

"After vaccination, immune cells recognise the vaccine protein as foreign and launch an immune response against it."

According to the TGA, it is recommended that the vaccine is given in two doses administered three weeks apart and at this stage is for primary vaccination only with studies for its use as a booster dose still ongoing.

An advanced purchase agreement of 51 million doses of the NUVAXOVID vaccine was announced by its manufacturer Novavax and the federal government in January 2021 with the first shipment to Australia expected in the coming month.

The new ways of treating the virus and preventing its spread will be a welcome addition to NSW with 30,825 positive test results notified to 8pm last night across the state, split between PCR and RAT tests.

Of these, 404 new positive PCR results were from the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSELHD).

In shires across the Western Plains, one was from Bogan, one from Bourke, four from Coonamble, six from Gilgandra, four from Lachlan, five from Narromine, two from Walgett, two from Warren and two from Warrumbungle.

31 WNSWLHD cases are currently hospitalised although none are in intensive care.