Dealing with the Social Isolation of the Covid-19 Pandemic
"Sana has been in social isolation for 3 days and she's losing her mind. She wants to go outside, but she can't. Plus, the news keeps reporting scary things. Sana is scared and anxious".
Some hospitals reported fast recovery rates and reduced mortality rates for patients treated with these medications. As a result, several individuals began to self-medicate indiscriminately on these drugs to prevent the disease since it is available over-the-counter.
Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of malaria, while the former is approved for treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, the FDA recently provided temporary or emergency authorization for the use of these medicines to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19. This use is restricted to hospitalized patients because of the potential harmful effects of the medications, including potentially life-threatening heart rhythm abnormalities.
This inappropriate use of these medicines is concerning because of this risk. Without standard monitoring, indiscriminate use of these drugs could cause preventable deaths. Be advised to avoid using these medications for COVID 19 unless prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Read original article at https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/hydroxychloroquine-or-chloroquine-covid-19-drug-safety-communication-fda-cautions-against-use
