Topic #5: Best Medicine for COVID-19

Question: What is the best available medicine for COVID-19?

Answer: For COVID-19, prevention, through social distancing and hand hygiene, is the best available medicine.

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are being prescribed all over the world by caring doctors to sick COVID-19 patients. Use of these medications in SICK COVID-19 patients is justifiable, even though it is uncertain how effective the drugs are, or if they are effective at all. Use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for prevention in persons who do not actually have COVID-19 should be discouraged. The way to prevent COVID-19 is through social distancing and hand hygiene.

Doctors are also prescribing an antibiotic called azithromycin, hoping it will help the immune system fight COVID-19. Nobody knows for sure how helpful this is. Scientists are looking into it.

• If prescribed hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine with or without azithromycin, make sure the doctor knows your medical history and all the other medications you are taking. Ask him/her whether it is safe for you to take these medications together.

Other medications that are being tested for COVID-19 may not be available worldwide immediately if found to be safe and effective. They include:

• Remdesivir, which is an IV medication. This drug was developed originally for Ebola, and later found to block coronavirus from reproducing in test tubes and animal experiments.
• New drugs that work in different ways to give the immune system the upper hand when fighting coronavirus.

Join us at the next CUTICA Health CORONAVIRUS – Blackboard.