This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. It brings together our existing recommendations on managing COVID-19, and new recommendations on...
Peer review article This study showed that there is no difference in pulmonary function as measured by function tests before and after COVID-19 infection in non-critically ill classified patients. There...
Peer review article Inhaled budesonide (steroid) improves time to recovery, with a chance of also reducing hospital admissions or deaths (although did not meet the 95% certainty level of proof),...
Peer revie article Awake prone positioning of patients with hypoxaemic respiratory failure due to COVID-19 reduces the incidence of treatment failure and the need for intubation without any signal of...
The UK’s drug regulator has approved the first monoclonal antibody (lab-grown antibodies) treatment—Ronapreve, a combination of casirivimab and imdevimab—for the treatment and prevention of acute Covid-19 in adults
This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to two batches of falsified remdesivir (antiviral drug) injection 100mg/20ml (5mg/ml)identified in the WHO Region of the Americas and reported to WHO in July...
Report on peer review article More than a year into the pandemic, our most efficacious “antiviral” treatment remains monoclonal antibodies(made outside of the body) — and this study further demonstrates...
Claim: A video on Facebook claims that Mega Oxygen, with magnesium peroxide as an ingredient, boosts oxygen levels in the body and heals Covid-19. Medical experts said scientific evidence did...
The WHO recommends that patients with oxygen levels lower than 90% should contact their doctor and go to hospital, not seek treatment at home.
Peer review article Among patients hospitalized with Covid-19 pneumonia, tofacitinib (an arthritis drug) led to a lower risk of death or respiratory failure through day 28 than placebo.
Peer review article Among high-risk walking patients, bamlanivimab (a lab made antibody) plus etesevimab (a lab made antibody) led to a lower incidence of Covid-19–related hospitalization and death than did...
Peer review article Antibody production after a single dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) is impaired by methotrexate (an immune system suppressant) normal cellular responses are preserved. Antibody development alone might not...
Peer review article In patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 managed without hospital admission, adding azithromycin (an antibiotic) to standard care treatment did not reduce the risk of subsequent hospital admission or...
Peer review article In patients with cardiometabolic risk factors (those which affect their chances of having a heart attack) who were hospitalised with COVID-19, treatment with dapagliflozin (a medicine to...
Peer review article In patients with suspected COVID-19 in the community in the UK, who were at high risk of adverse outcomes, treatment with doxycycline (an antibiotic) was not associated...
Patients who are acutely unwell with suspected vaccine induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) should be referred immediately to the emergency department, says new rapid guidance from the National Institute...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its patient care guidelines to include interleukin-6 receptor blockers, a class of medicines that are lifesaving in patients who are severely or critically...
. Over the last year, however, many people are staying home and leading a more sedentary life due to COVID-19. To help raise awareness on the benefits of physical activity...
The World Health Organization (WHO) reiterates that there is not yet a specific antiviral treatment whose safety and effectiveness are proven to treat COVID-19. Corticosteroids and medical oxygen remain essential...
“Home-Based Care (where people with COVID-19 receive care in their own homes) has not only helped to reduce the strain on local government resources, but also to alleviate fear and...
Peer review article Among patients hospitalized with Covid-19 pneumonia, tofacitinib (an arthritis drug) led to a lower risk of death or respiratory failure through day 28 than placebo.
Peer review article Among high-risk walking patients, bamlanivimab (a lab made antibody) plus etesevimab (a lab made antibody) led to a lower incidence of Covid-19–related hospitalization and death than did...
Peer review article Antibody production after a single dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) is impaired by methotrexate (an immune system suppressant) normal cellular responses are preserved. Antibody development alone might not...
Peer review article In patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 managed without hospital admission, adding azithromycin (an antibiotic) to standard care treatment did not reduce the risk of subsequent hospital admission or...
Peer review article In patients with cardiometabolic risk factors (those which affect their chances of having a heart attack) who were hospitalised with COVID-19, treatment with dapagliflozin (a medicine to...
Peer review article In patients with suspected COVID-19 in the community in the UK, who were at high risk of adverse outcomes, treatment with doxycycline (an antibiotic) was not associated...
Patients who are acutely unwell with suspected vaccine induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) should be referred immediately to the emergency department, says new rapid guidance from the National Institute...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its patient care guidelines to include interleukin-6 receptor blockers, a class of medicines that are lifesaving in patients who are severely or critically...
. Over the last year, however, many people are staying home and leading a more sedentary life due to COVID-19. To help raise awareness on the benefits of physical activity...
The World Health Organization (WHO) reiterates that there is not yet a specific antiviral treatment whose safety and effectiveness are proven to treat COVID-19. Corticosteroids and medical oxygen remain essential...
“Home-Based Care (where people with COVID-19 receive care in their own homes) has not only helped to reduce the strain on local government resources, but also to alleviate fear and...
Report on peer review article More than a year into the pandemic, our most efficacious “antiviral” treatment remains monoclonal antibodies(made outside of the body) — and this study further demonstrates...
Claim: A new study shows hydroxychloroquine can increase Covid-19 survival rates by 200%. Verdict: False. This very small study has not been peer-reviewed and it does not show that hydroxychloroquine...
Based on this well-designed study in patients with elevated D-dimer levels, there is no indication for using therapeutic anticoagulation dosing for clotting event preventative measures in patients with COVID-19.
Single-dose vaccination with Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines provide substantial protection against infection in older adults from 4–7 weeks after vaccination and might reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Implementing prevention and control practices that eliminate, reduce, and manage factors that cause or contribute to public health workers’ poor mental health might improve mental health outcomes during emergencies.
Building the capacity of health workers in case management is one of the factors that will help minimize deaths and complications from COVID-19.
The use of high-dose intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) plus anticoagulation is recommended for the treatment of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), a rare side effect of adenoviral vector vaccines against...
In these primarily stable hospitalised patients, therapeutic dose rivaroxaban in hospital with post-discharge treatment up to 30 days conferred no additional benefit when compared with in-hospital prophylactic-dose heparin.
Discontinuation of RAS-inhibition (renin-angiotensin-system inhibitor - a protein that helps regulate the concentration of blood) in COVID-19 had no significant effect on the maximum severity of COVID-19 but may lead...
Aspirin does not improve survival for patients in hospital with Covid-19, the UK Recovery trial1 has reported.
An update on guidance for children, newborns, pregnant or breastfeeding patients and links to family planning advice and advice for people with underlying medical conditions.
During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, UBTS experienced a shortage of blood supplies and had to use innovative ways of mobilizing blood donors.
The use of high-dose intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) plus anticoagulation is recommended for the treatment of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), a rare side effect of adenoviral vector vaccines against...
In these primarily stable hospitalised patients, therapeutic dose rivaroxaban in hospital with post-discharge treatment up to 30 days conferred no additional benefit when compared with in-hospital prophylactic-dose heparin.
Discontinuation of RAS-inhibition (renin-angiotensin-system inhibitor - a protein that helps regulate the concentration of blood) in COVID-19 had no significant effect on the maximum severity of COVID-19 but may lead...
Aspirin does not improve survival for patients in hospital with Covid-19, the UK Recovery trial1 has reported.
An update on guidance for children, newborns, pregnant or breastfeeding patients and links to family planning advice and advice for people with underlying medical conditions.
During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, UBTS experienced a shortage of blood supplies and had to use innovative ways of mobilizing blood donors.
We're now seeing fewer and fewer patients admitted with severe COVID-19, but some patients with the severe disease still could benefit from this adjusted approach to steroid therapy.
As this large, randomized trial does not demonstrate a survival benefit of using blood plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the findings should...
On 3 June 2021, they added new recommendations on azithromycin (an antibiotic) to treat COVID-19. Do not use this drug on COVID-19 patients.
This report suggests that pregnant women with no detectable anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies are potential candidates for treatment with convalescent plasma with high antibody titres in an early stage of the disease,
There is an urgent need for democratising evidence-informed medicine in India. Clinical guidelines should be based on evidence, responsive to local resources, and include a broad range of stakeholders, including...
A central data repository called the CORONA Project was launched in early 2020 to track all treatments that have been used for Covid-19.
Use of therapeutic-dose rivaroxaban, and other direct oral anticoagulants, should be avoided in patients in the absence of an evidence-based reason to prescribe oral anti-clotting drugs.
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. Bothy drugs have been repeatedly tested and have been found to...
This guideline brings together NICE's existing recommendations on managing COVID-19, and new recommendations on therapeutics, so that healthcare staff and those planning and delivering services can find and use them...
Given the absence of orally administered therapies to prevent COVID-19 complications in community-treated patients and the benefit of colchicine in patients with PCR-proven COVID-19, this safe and inexpensive anti-inflammatory agent...
Patients with a systemic rheumatic disease who were admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 had increased risk for hyper inflammation, kidney injury, admission to IC, and mechanical ventilation compared with...
Claim:: Vitamin D, Ivermectin, zinc and hydroxychloroquine are safe and effective treatments for Covid-19. Verdict: There is no robust evidence yet that any of these can treat or prevent Covid
An algorithm for the management of this syndrome was proposed on the basis of immunoassays detecting anti–PF4–heparin antibodies - which in turn could predict the clottiong events.
There is no evidence to suggest that people taking NSAIDs for a long-term condition should be advised to stop treatment in the context of COVID‑19.
At this time, policy decisions on whether anakinra (arthritis drug) should be used for treating COVID-19 associated inflamatory conditions will need to consider data extrapolated from studies assessing anakinra for...
Conclusions cannot be drawn on whether ACEIs (drugs involved in contracting blood vessels) or ARBs (drugs that reduce blood pressure) increase the risk of developing COVID-19 or developing more severe...
Unsurprisingly, given human genetic variation and the burgeoning genetic variance of the virus itself, evidence for the efficacy of many interventions is unclear.
Overexposure to ethylene oxide itself can cause health problems such as cancer, but there is no suggestion that using something that has been sterilised by ethylene oxide is harmful.
WHAT WAS CLAIMED: Honey, pepper and ginger can ‘100%’ eliminate the effect of Covid-19 and has been approved by the WHO.
Report on peer review article These latest results support the use of tocilizumab in combination with dexamethasone in recently hospitalized patients with progressive COVID-19.
The use of inhaled anti inflamitary treatment (corticosteroid) might be associated with poor outcomes among people being treated for COVID-19 in hospital.
Peer review article: In patients hospitalised with COVID-19, plasma taken from people who had recovered from COVID-19 did not improve survival or other prespecified clinical outcomes.
Report on peer review article: The study highlights the potential risks of cytokine adsorption (proteins being made by cells and entering other cell to communicate) in patients receiving oxygen therapy...
Opinion piece: Following initial reports, a series of peer-reviewed randomised trials did not confirm the positive findings
Peer review article: Hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, lopinavir-ritonavir, and umifenovir were the most prescribed repurposed drugs. Antithrombotics, antibiotics, H2 receptor antagonists) , and corticosteroids were often used as supplemental treatments.
In hospitalised COVID-19 patients suffering from lack of oxygen to body tissues and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab (a drug mainly used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis) improved survival and other...
Findings highlight the importance of respiratory follow-up of patients with COVID-19, and that studies to mitigate the long-term consequences of COVID-19 pneumonia, including pulmonary rehabilitation as well as novel therapeutic...
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) use is not associated with higher mortality or increased severity of COVID-19. Policymakers should consider reviewing issued advice around NSAID prescribing and COVID-19 severity.
Since 2015, high-flow nasal oxygen has become widely used as effective therapeutic support for acute respiratory failure, most recently in patients with severe COVID-19.
Timing from clinical presentation to treatment, severity of illness, and concomitant use of corticosteroids are among the factors that might have contributed to apparently inconsistent results.
The timing of therapy in COVID-19 is undoubtedly crucial, but outstanding questions include whether certain therapies for rheumatic disease, such as interleukin-6 and Janus kinase 1 inhibition should be used...
Preliminary reports were followed by large observational studies in critically ill patients with COVID-19, which suggested a mortality benefit (difference in mortality between treated and untreated patients) with tocilizumab.
In hospitalised COVID-19 patients with hypoxia (oxygen deprivation to body tissues) and systemic inflammation, tocilizumab (a drug commonly used for arthritis) improved survival and other clinical outcomes. These benefits were...
Countries have pledged to help India as the country continues to see an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths, with hospitals running out of oxygen, drugs, and beds.
A total of 82 people were left dead and 110 injured from a hospital fire on 24 April in Baghdad, Iraq, which began with an explosion caused by a fault...
A study in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine helps characterize the risk for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in a close contact setting.
Early reports from China on the use of ECMO in COVID-19-associated ARDS indicated unfavourable outcomes.
Regeneron's casirivimab-imdevimab monoclonal antibody combination cut the risk for symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in household contacts of COVID-19 patients by 81%.
This evidence — along with other interim trial data suggesting probable harm from therapeutic anticoagulation (a means of preventing blood clots) in severely ill patients with COVID-19 — should lead...
Earlier studies in vitro and in mice demonstrated a broad potent antiviral effect of niclosamide against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses.
The intervention (Scleroderma Patient-centred Intervention Network COVID-19 Home-isolation Activities Together (SPIN-CHAT) Program) did not significantly improve anxiety symptoms or other mental health outcomes post-intervention. However, anxiety and depression symptoms were...
Inhaled budesonide, a common corticosteroid used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, can shorten the time it takes for people not admitted to hospital to recover from COVID-19...
Discussion of research articles The Annals of Internal Medicine have further reduced their advice on using Remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19. The FDA has granted an emergency use authorization...
Opinion piece Medical oxygen is becoming a critical need as the second wave of COVID-19 unfolds in Africa and health-care systems risk becoming overwhelmed with patients, the Africa Centres for...
Research article By identifying patients at risk of NIRS (Non-invasive respiratory strategies) failure, clinicians could ascertain those who might benefit from early monitoring and early interventions. However, any benefits from...
Peer Reviewed paper Early initiation of prophylactic anticoagulation (drugs that help to stop blood from clotting) compared with no anticoagulation among patients admitted to hospital with Covid-19 was associated with...
Comment on pre-release Researchers studied nearly 130 patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 who had undergone brain MRI. Some 7% of patients had one or more nodules in the light receptor...
COVID-19, the clinical syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2, has caused a tremendous burden of global morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 is predicted to have a devastating impact on other global infections, most...
Report on research article Recent retrospective data showing low rates of hospital associated internal bleeding post-discharge are reassuring, Randomised trials formally evaluating the need for extended blood clot prevention are...
This document provides guidance on caring for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19
Commitments made at today’s Virtual G7 leaders meeting hosted by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and at the Munich Security Conference later in the day, signalled significant progress in the...
Claim: The death rate in Andalucía almost halved between November and December following the introduction of their vitamin D policy. Verdict: The death rate in Andalucía did drop, but numbers...
Report on peer review article The WHO recommendation against Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 prevention, published in The BMJ, is based on a meta-analysis of six randomized trials comprising over 6000 people...
Report on the ineffectiveness of using the drug Ivermectin to treat mild COVID-19 symptoms. Review of the effects of the virus causing cardiological issues after infection in 4% of those...
Peer review article Research results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can use TMPRSS2 (a protein normally found in the membrane of human cells) and closely related proteases for spread in the upper...
Peer review article This trial did not show efficacy of sarilumab in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and receiving supplemental oxygen. Adequately powered trials of targeted immunomodulatory therapies assessing...
Peer review article Routine use of tocilizumab in patients admitted to hospital with moderate to severe COVID-19 is not supported. However, post-hoc evidence from this study suggests tocilizumab might still...
Peer review article The SARS-CoV-2 viruses share a set of proteins and use the same cellular entry receptor, but their transmission efficiencies and pathogenetic traits differ. This study looks at...
Peer reviewed article Taken together, the findings plus the evidence to date suggest that azithromycin is not a sufficiently effective treatment to justify routine use for treatment of COVID-19, neither...
Opinion piece Accepting that IL-6 blockade reduces mortality in patients the question will inevitably become which populations are most likely to benefit. The absolute risk reduction (and corresponding number needed...
Opinion piece The role of inhaled corticosteroids in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 has been widely discussed since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, when initial descriptions of patients...
Updated: Clinical Questions about COVID-19 - Questions and Answers.
Resources and tools to help pregnant people, breastfeeding people and new parents caring for infants to protect their health and help people who serve these communities communicate with them.
A pharmacopoeia is a legally-binding collection of standards and quality specifications for medical products. The WHO organizes official meetings entitled International Meeting of World Pharmacopoeias for participation of all WHO...
Report on peer review article A study on the increased risk to patients already suffering from kidney disease, the higher mortality rates caused by the B1.1.7 variant and the effective...
Report on peer review article Although thromboses occur frequently in patients with COVID-19, and guidelines recommend pharmacologic prophylaxis, ongoing clinical trials will help determine the most appropriate anticoagulation dosing, as...
Report on peer pre release article Of all the medical interventions considered for management of severe or critical COVID-19, tocilizumab has been one of the most disputed. This agent seems...
Report on peer reviewed article This article compares the clinical effectiveness of IL-1 inhibition (anakinra) and IL-6 inhibition (tocilizumab or sarilumab) with standard treatment in a large homogeneous cohort of...
Opinion piece The deployment of alternative outpatient models in a specific setting should be planned and evaluated; therefore, further information on the cost-effectiveness of these models is warranted, as it...
Peer review article Although anticoagulants such as unfractionated Heparin and Enoxaparin are both being used for therapeutic mitigation of COVID associated coagulopathy (CAC), differences in their clinical outcomes remain to...
Peer reviewed article Dexamethasone treatment improves mortality for the treatment of severe and critical COVID-19, while remdesivir may have modest benefit in time to recovery in patients with severe disease...
Peer review article A small study concluded there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients alive and off oxygen therapy at day 14 whether they took mavrilimumab, although...
Report on peer reviewed article It is recommended that health-care professionals with expertise in nutrition, especially dietitians, nutrition nurses, physicians, and pharmacists, should be engaged in the assessment and care...
An article aimed at doctors with an aim to consider an individual's risk from COVID-19 in two parts; the risk of catching it and the risk of poor outcome if...
This guideline covers the management of COVID-19 for children, young people and adults in all care settings. It brings together our existing recommendations on managing COVID-19 so that healthcare staff...
Opinion piece Plasma collected from previously infected people to passively transfer antibodies to protect or treat humans (convalescent plasma), has been successfully used since the late 19th century to treat...
Peer review article Rituximab therapy is associated with more severe COVID-19. Rituximab will have to be prescribed with particular caution in patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
A personal account about the effects of COVID-19 on a type-1 diabetes sufferer.
Report on peer reviewed article With the high frequency of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with COVID-19, it would make sense that higher-dose VTE prophylaxis would lead to better outcomes;...
Report on peer reviewed article In addition to the risk factors for COVID-19 severity seen for the general population, MS disability level is also a substantial factor.
The purpose of this guideline is to maximise the safety of children and adults with rheumatological autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic bone disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, while protecting staff from...
Peer review article Evidence on the use of other anti-rheumatic drugs, including C5a inhibitors and intravenous immunoglobulin, suggest some potential benefit, but large adequately powered clinical trials are urgently needed....
Peer review article The risk of severe COVID-19 in people with asthma is relatively small. People with COPD and interstitial lung disease appear to have a modestly increased risk of...
More than 1700 preprints and peer reviewed journal articles evaluating tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection have been published as of January 2021. However, evaluations of these studies have identified many methodological...
This is the fourth version (update 3) of the living guideline which provides the latest scientific advice covering drugs treatments for COVID-19. .
Meta-analysis of peer review articles on drugs treatments for COVID-19.
Governments and health leaders across the world have published a rallying cry for urgent global action to improve adolescent wellbeing. They highlight that even before covid-19 adolescents and young adults...
Updates to the list of underlying medical conditions that put adults of any age at high risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 were based on evidence...
In addition to discussion around vaccine access, equity and acceptance the senior religious leaders shared with Dr. Tedros their collective experiences, including: Efforts to bridge the gap between science and...
The current evidence on the use of ivermectin to treat COVID-19 patients is inconclusive. Until more data is available, WHO recommends that the drug only be used within clinical trials....
The “Living with the Times” toolkit contains illustrated posters with key messages for older adults on how to maintain their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, while supporting those around them....
The African Development Bank and WHO have delivered essential medical supplies, including intensive care unit (ICU) beds, medicines, lifesaving biomedical equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) to South Sudan’s Ministry...
Report on peer review article This study suggests that outpatients with COVID-19 do not have excess venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk and argues against routine pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis for outpatients with...
Researchers immunized alpacas and llamas with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and identified nanobodies that specifically bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus...
The purpose of this guideline is to maximise the safety of children and adults who have gastrointestinal or liver conditions treated with drugs affecting the immune response during the COVID...
The purpose of this guideline is to maximise the safety of children and adults who have dermatological conditions treated with drugs affecting the immune response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peer review article A formulation of niclosamide, a potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent and a broad-spectrum antiviral treatment candidate, optimized for inhalation and intranasal administration (UNI91104) was developed. UNI91104, a promising candidate...
Peer review article Early administration of inhaled budesonide reduced the likelihood of needing urgent medical care and reduced time to recovery after early COVID-19.
Report on peer review article Ongoing randomised clinical trials using other inhaled corticosteroids or exploring the effects of budesonide in more severe (hospitalised) COVID-19 patients continue. Observations that clinical recovery...
This summarises how people can ease symptoms of COVID-19 at home. For a fever, one should rest and drink plenty of fluids, and one may take paracetamol or ibuprofen. For...
A study in Brazil of over 50000 patients hospitalised with COVID-19 found that patients who had received inactivated trivalent influenza vaccine in 2020 had significantly higher chances of surviving and...
Low vitamin D status has been associated with more severe COVID-19 outcomes, however there is not enough evidence to say that more severe COVID-19 outcomes have been caused by low...
There is a lot of debate on whether vitamin D supplements have an effect on respiratory tract infections in general and more recently on COVID-19. Results from trials pre-pandemic vary....
This is a chapter in a large document giving an overview of COVID-19. This section describes many emerging treatments. This summary highlights selected potential treatments listed in the article: -...
The FDA has approved remdesivir to treat COVID-19 and has issued emergency use authorisations (EUAs) for certain other drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. People who test positive for COVID-19...
This is a living review of current evidence for COVID-19 treatments and is therefore updated regularly with new data. Since it was first published in July 2020, it has been...
Remdesivir is an antiviral which was developed in a collaboration between Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Army Medical...
Patients may be considered for treatment with tocilizumab or sarilumab if they are infected with COVID-19 and admitted into intensive care and require respiratory support. There are several criteria for...
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the use of bamlanivimab to treat patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Clinical trials have shown that bamlanivimab...
This article summarises some of the main pharmaceuticals emerging as potential treatment or prophylaxis and is updated as new information arrives. In many cases, trials are ongoing: - Dexamethasone: studies...
A trial on 5040 hospitalised COVID-19 patients found that treatment with lopinavir–ritonavir did not lead to reduced mortality, nor did it affect length of hospitalisation or progression of the disease.
This study describes the results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the use of baricitinib plus remdesivir in treating 1033 adults hospitalised with COVID-19. The study found that baricitinib...
A trial on 464 adults with moderate COVID-19 found that convalescent plasma (blood plasma from donors who have recovered from COVID-19) is not effective in reducing mortality or progression to...
Convalescent plasma is blood plasma from donors who have recovered from COVID-19. A trial of 333 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia found that there were no significant difference in the...
This update provides a summary of the latest developments in scientific knowledge and public health policy from around the world. Highlights on treatments are summarised below: - A small trial...
This update provides a summary of the latest developments in scientific knowledge and public health policy from around the world. Highlights on treatments are summarised below: - A study looked...
This is a living guideline containing information and recommendations on some treatment options. Guidelines are based on evidence from clinical trials and scientific publications. It is expected that the guidelines...
Africa CDC and the WHO have published guidelines on the use of corticosteroid for managing severe and critical COVID-19 patients. The major recommendations are to use corticosteroids (such as dexamethasone...
This resource from the Kenya Medical Research Institute allows you to toggle between guidance on various subtopics related to COVID-19, from prevention, to managing illness, and looking after someone who...
This study found no evidence that vitamin D is protective against SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 severity. The data support the recent statement by the National Institute for Health and Care...
This BMJ article recommends that management of COVID cases should be based on disease severity and must focus on: isolation at a suitable location, infection prevention and control measures, symptom...
An article aggregating data / studies, providing six recommendations for the general public: 1) washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or an alcohol-based hand...
Report on research article COVID-19 and Thromboembolism Prophylaxis: Is More Anticoagulation Better? Research suggests that more anticoagulation is not necessarily better -- two reports indicate no statistical differences between dosing...
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) now suggests adding the interleukin-6 inhibitor tocilizumab to standard care.
Presentation of the week's summaries, commentary, and news on the pandemic. This week, NEJM Journal Watch covered COVID-19–related topics including limitations of procalcitonin for antimicrobial stewardship, efficacy of mRNA vaccines...
Report on research articles COVID-19 reinfections confirmed in US; Interleukin-6 (a protein linked to inflammation) inhibitors as a promising therapy for COVID-19 and; further information on the spread of variants.
Peer reviewed article In patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the use of dexamethasone resulted in lower 28-day mortality among those who were receiving either invasive mechanical ventilation or oxygen alone at...
Peer reviewed article Critically ill patients with COVID-19 receiving organ support in ICUs, treatment with the interleukin-6 receptor antagonists tocilizumab and sarilumab displayed improved outcomes, including survival.
Opinion piece There was an increasing demand for and misuse of various drugs in the treatment of COVID-19 irrespective of paucity of scientific evidence. This could lead to a speedier...
Brief summaries of clinical questions and answers on topics relating to COVID-19, including: COVID-19 Risk, Who is at Risk, Infection Control, Transmission, Testing, Diagnosis, and more.
Clinical mitigation encompasses strategies to ensure adequate provision of care for mildly to moderately ill COVID-19 patients, and delivery of other non-COVID-19 essential health services during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Many children with...
Serology tests play an important role in assessing the immune response to a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19. Evaluation of serology tests with well-characterized clinical samples (serum...
Claim: The World Health Organisation warned that pregnant women should avoid the COVID-19 vaccination. Partly true As of January 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the use of...
Opinion piece by Thomas H. Lee, M.D., and Alice H. Chen, M.D., M.P.H. This work of distributing the vaccine is compared with managing the last mile in other business sectors:...
This evidence summary includes 1 prepublication study only, with a small number of patients randomised to sarilumab (n=48). This means that the findings may change if further evidence becomes available....
Tocilizumab is a treatment approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis and cytokine release syndrome. A gold standard, double blind, randomised control trial on 129 patients with...
More than 2,800 scientists from 130 countries gathered on Friday (January 15) in a virtual forum hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify knowledge gaps and set research...
Summary Review Despite the lack of adjustment for the numerous comparisons in this study, bamlanivimab did not result in an improved virologic response at 11 days compared with placebo —...
Review The National Institutes of Health has slightly upgraded tocilizumab as a treatment for COVID-19 in its latest COVID-19 treatment guidelines. Previously, the group recommended against the use of tocilizumab...
Review by By Kelly Young Adding methylprednisolone to intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG - chemicals made by our immune systems to fight the virus) is associated with better fever outcomes in multisystem...
For reducing viral load (the number of virus particles in a patient’s test sample), a combination of two anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (lab made, but identical to the immune system proteins...
Opinion piece The piece explores the potential of rapalogs (drugs used to suppress cancer) to enhance resilience against SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduce the severity of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 affects old people...
Opinion piece Concerns about hydroxychloroquine's safety and efficacy are well documented, including its association with cardiac adverse events, blood and lymph system disorders, liver problems, and kidney injury. A study...
Opinion piece The WHO International Non-proprietary Names Programme would like to highlight that international non-proprietary names (INNs), assigned to well defined pharmaceutical substances, including those used in vaccines, ensure that...
ART (Anti-retroviral treatment - the most effective method of countering HIV) provision was generally maintained during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, but HIV testing and ART initiations were heavily impacted. Strategies...
To date, only monoclonal antibodies (antibodies made in laboratories but identical to the ones our white blood cells produce) have been shown to be effective for outpatients with COVID-19. Interferon...
Opinion piece This article discusses the difficulties of the final processes when delivering vaccines. It questions why, -given prefilled syringes are the safest and standard recommended delivery device for most...
News article The SARS-CoV-2 vaccine produced by the US biotechnology company Novavax is 95.6% effective against the original variant of SARS-CoV-2 but also provides protection against the newer variants B.1.1.7...
COVAX has notified countries in Africa of the estimated dose allocation for the first phase of COVID-19 vaccine delivery. The global initiative led by the WHO, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance...