Managing Covid-19 begins with prevention. Eliminating the need for treatment is the goal. But what tools do we have for treating disease progression after exposure or after becoming symptomatic? In this post I summarize what prevention & treatment options we have for managing Covid-19.
The content is largely based on the NIH guidelines and recommendations but, of course, the treatment strategy of each individual will vary based on the patient medical history, patient clinical presentation, the hospital resources, and the treating physician experiences. This is meant to give a high level overview! I also indicate that some treatment options are available at different times for individuals considered high-risk for severe disease.
You’ll notice that the recommended treatment plan contains only a handful of drugs/therapies – most are EUA approved and one has full FDA approval. I also have a slide that discusses what is NOT recommended and this is either because the evidence supporting the use is insufficient OR the evidence suggests that the drug/therapy does not have any benefit. I know this is often controversial but stop to ask yourself why doctors would refuse to use a treatment if we know it works? They wouldn’t.
Finally, while I’m a Dr. I’m not a medical doctor. If you treat COVID-19, please comment anything you’d add!