The Different Types Of Treatments For Covid

Pills that patients could take at home to protect against Covid were the latest addition to the tools available in the US to fight against the virus.

The Different Types Of Treatments For Covid

The worst effects of the virus are minimized by these pills. The drugs are from Pfizer and Merck. A bunch of other therapies has also been shown to have the same effect.

Different advantages and disadvantages have been shown by each treatment. At different stages of the disease, different effects are had.

The first Covid therapies that do not require infusions or injections are posed in the form of prescription pills.

Paxlovid, which was made by Pfizer was authorized by the FDA. Merck’s molnupiravir was also authorized by the FDA on Thursday.

Adults with a positive Covid test can use Merck’s drug. They must also have early symptoms and they have been asked to take the drug as they have the highest risk of hospitalization. 

Anyone over the age of 12 can use Pfizer’s drug if they think that they are at the highest risk of hospitalization.

Due to its superior benefits and milder side effects, Pfizer’s drug is likely to become the first choice treatment against the virus.

A warning against the use of molnupiravir was given to pregnant women as it has the potential to cause defective births. It was also recommended by the FDA that it should be used only when other treatments are inappropriate or unavailable.

It is critical that patients get tested and diagnosed quickly as both treatments need to be started right after the symptoms have developed.

In a similar manner as HIV drugs, antiviral pills could also be used in combination with other therapies in order to fight Covid.

For people who have Covid, but do not need to be hospitalized yet, antibody drugs have been the first-choice treatment.

In the United States, 3 antibody drugs have been approved by the FDA.

The risk of hospitalization and death has been shown to be reduced by 70% when the symptoms have been appearing for less than 10 days.

High-risk adults who have early Covid symptoms generally receive these drugs. People who are highly vulnerable to the virus are also given the drug in order to block any infection.

The enthusiasm for these antiviral drugs is being dampened by the Omicron variant. Regeneron and Eli Lilly, who are drugmakers, said that the omicron will reduce the potency of the antibody therapies. 

The treatments will find it harder to attack the virus due to a large number of mutations.

GlaxoSmithKline, a British drugmaker, offers a 3rd option. It is not widely available in the United States, but it seems to be in the best position to fight the Omicron variant.

Several limitations of the drugs can be seen. They are expensive and complicated to manufacture, and they have to be injected or infused by a health worker.

The only drug that specifically targets Covid is Remdesivir. This is an antiviral infusion and it is used on hospitalized patients.

Patients who require extra oxygen, but not breathing machines are given this drug. Recovery time seems to have been cut by several days when the drug has been given.

As survival rates have failed to improve, the drug is not favored by doctors anymore. Considering the cost and lack of benefits, the drug is not recommended by the WHO.

In people who have been hospitalized, survival rates seem to be boosted by steroid drugs. These are staples of emergency care. This is done by inflammation being blunted. Other similar immune system reactions drive the worst effects of the virus later.