Explainer: What are the treatments for COVID-19?

Source: VietFactCheck

Throughout the course COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a number of treatments prescribed for people who suffer from mild to severe COVID-19 infections. These treatments are NOT Ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine. 

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the medicine that is currently available to treat COVID-19 include:

• Veklury (also known as Remdesivir)

• Paxlovid

• Molnupiravir

• Monoclonal antibody treatments

These treatments are only available with the approval of a medical provider. And they are only reserved for people who are at high risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19, or who are already hospitalized. 

COVID-19 treatments are not a substitute for being vaccinated. Numerous government healthcare agencies recommend that people prevent themselves from getting sick with COVID-19 by getting vaccinated. 

What is Veklury (Remdesivir)?

Veklury (also known as Remdesivir) is an antiviral drug prescribed to treat people who have been hospitalized for COVID-19. An antiviral means that it stops the coronavirus from spreading in the body. The FDA recommends Veklury for adults and teenagers over 12 years old who weigh at least 88 lbs. 

Veklury can only be used in a hospital or health clinics because it is injected into the veins. Based on a clinical trial of over 1,000 people hospitalized for COVID-19, Veklury was shown to shorten the recovery time for COVID-19 by 5 days. 

What is Paxlovid?

Paxlovid is a brand of antiviral pills. Paxlovid is actually made up of two pills taken together by mouth: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir. These pills are used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 infections. These pills are only available via prescription from a health care provider. 

Because these drugs are in short supply, they are not being prescribed to anyone with a COVID-19 infection. Paxlovid is being prescribed for people over the age of 12 who weigh at least 88 lbs. The FDA is recommending that the pills be prescribed to anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 and “who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death,” such as people with weakened immune systems.

Paxlovid is most effective when it is taken in the first five days of COVID-19 symptoms. Pfizer, who manufactures Paxlovid, says Paxlovid cut the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 by 90%, based on clinical trials with over 2,000 people. 

What is Molnupiravir?

Molnupiravir is an antiviral pill. The pills are taken by mouth and are used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 infections. These pills are only available via prescription from a health care provider. Because these drugs are in short supply, they are not being prescribed to anyone with a COVID-19 infection. 

Molnupiravir is being prescribed to adults 18 years and older. The FDA is recommending that the pills be prescribed to anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 and “who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death,” such as people with weakened immune systems. 

Molnupiravir is most effective when it is taken in the first five days of COVID-19 symptoms. Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, who manufacturers Molnupiravir, says that its drug reduces COVID-19 hospitalizations by 30%, based on clinical trials with over 1,400 people. 

What is Monoclonal Antibody Treatment?

Monoclonal antibody treatments are prescribed for patients in the early stages of COVID-19 infections. This medicine is administered using an intravenous drip into the patient’s veins. It contains lab-created molecules that, according to the FDA, “act as substitute antibodies. They can help your immune system recognize and respond more effectively to the virus, making it more difficult for the virus to reproduce and cause harm.”

The FDA recommends that monoclonal antibody treatments be given to people over the age of 12 who weigh at least 88 lbs, who have newly tested positive for COVID-19, “who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19. This includes those who are 65 years of age or older or who have certain chronic medical conditions.”

​​Monoclonal antibody treatments are used to prevent COVID-19 hospitalizations. It is not recommended for people who have been hospitalized for COVID-19, because it makes their infections worse. According to a study of nearly 1,400 people, monoclonal antibody treatments reduced the risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 by almost 70%.

Are These Treatments a Substitute for Being Vaccinated?

No. According to the FDA, “These products are not a substitute for vaccination against COVID-19.” According to the National Institutes of Health, “Preventing COVID-19 is more effective than treating it. Vaccines protect people from getting infected or from becoming severely ill, and masks and social distancing help keep the virus from spreading.”