Remdesivir now a part of COVID-19 therapy in new health protocol

The Union Health Ministry has recently included Remdesivir as a part of investigational therapy and updated Clinical Management Protocol of COVID-19 patients. The ministry has also added loss of taste and loss of smell as two key symptoms of COVID-19 infection.

The Ministry recently issued “Clinical Management Protocols for COVID-19”. The above therapies and protocols were included under the guidleines.

Highlights

Under the updated protocol, the Ministry has removed its earlier recommendation of the use of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in severe cases. Also, the usage of HCQ along with Azithromycin was also removed.

Guidelines

The Ministry has issued a protocol and listed medicines that can be taken by the COVID-19 patients. The medicines include Tocilizumab, Hydroxychloroquine and convalescent plasma therapy.

Convalescent Plasma Therapy

It is an experimental treatment that are being used by some doctors on COVID-19 patients. Under the therapy, the antibodies isolated from the COVID-19 recovered patients are injected into people affected with the virus. The blood sample of people recovered from COVID-19 is called Convalescent Plasma.

The therapy is used on people that are not responding to other drugs and are suffering from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2020