Patriot Health Digest
Scientists are now working on a pill that can stop the symptoms of COVID-19 and reduce the transmission of the terrible virus – and if the clinical trials turn out successful, it might be ready to release by the end of this year.
Around three promising treatments for the virus are currently at the trial stages, as reported by NBC, in the form of a short-term pill regimen, with the pills being taken for five to 10 days after the first diagnosis of coronavirus infection.
The pills work a lot like the type of antiviral medication used to combat HIV, hepatitis C, and influenza – that is, by interfering with the ability of the virus to replicate in humans, which essentially prevents the symptoms.
“Oral antivirals have the possibility to not just lower the duration of a person’s COVID-19 syndrome, but also can limit transmission to others in your household if you get sick,” Timothy Sheahan, who is a virologist from the University of North Carolina and helped to create the therapies, said to NBC.
One antiviral drug – called remdesivir – was already approved by authorities to treat coronavirus, but it is administered to only hospitalised patients using a drip, so it is unsuitable for a greater widespread use. A packet of oral pills could change this situation. Since the trials are now on track to finish by the end of 2021, we will not have to wait for much longer for the outcome.
“I believe we will have the answers about what these pills can do within the next few months,” Carl Diefenbach, who is the director of the division of AIDS at the NIAIS, said to NBC. If these results are good, it’s possible that emergency use will be given and “distribution could start quickly,” he said.
Currently, there is controversy over the Ivermectin treatment for covid-19. With President Biden ordering pharmacies to stop filling doctor-given prescriptions for the medication as treatment for covid-19. Strangely, the liberal president has also restricted the supply of life-saving antibody treatments from conservative states such as Florida and Texas.
Author: Blake Ambrose
