5 Most Recent Advancements In COVID-19 Treatment

5 Most Recent Advancements In COVID-19 Treatment
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Since the pandemic hit, doctors and researchers have been working tirelessly to manage and treat COVID-19. At the onset, dynamic restrictions were put into place to curb the spread of the virus. Many countries went as far as initiating lockdowns to minimize movements and reduce human-to-human interaction.

In addition, everyone was required to reduce body contact and cover the mouth and nose by wearing masks. Similarly, face-to-face interactions and even simple handshakes and hugs were prohibited. All these were meant to help control the spread of the virus.

These mitigation measures significantly curbed the spread of the virus, but more long-term solutions are needed. In an attempt to have things under complete control, the first vaccine was announced around August 2021, and everyone could breathe a sigh of relief.

Eventually, several other vaccines were introduced to the public. However, that wasn’t the end. Developments to generate treatments and preventive measures are still ongoing. Here are some of the most recent advancements in COVID-19 treatment:

  1. Clinical Trials

When the virus spiked up, most lab workers and doctors were only trying to treat patients and manage hospital capacity. This wasn’t going to be a long-lasting solution. There was a need to get to the bottom of things and find a long-term solution. This meant studying the virus and how to effectively incapacitate them at its early stages.

Clinical trials are set up for COVID-19 patients to help in gathering information that may be used to generate solutions. This involves blood tests to get to the extracellular vesicles (EVs), which have been proven to have a critical role in the immune system. Most cells, including those lining the respiratory tract, secrete EVs.

The trials are classified into four phases to evaluate the proper medication for patients. Here are the four typical phases used in clinical trials:

  • Phase 1: Administering drugs to healthy, but infected people to figure out the dose and monitor the side effects
  • Phase 2: A large number of infected people are given the drug to see if it works.
  • Phase 3: This phase may last for one to four years, where larger groups are given a drug to prove that the drug is working.
  • Phase 4: If the drug passes the third phase, it’s approved but closely monitored to scan for side effects.
  1. Antiviral Drugs
3d rendering ventilator machine with female patient

Unlike vaccines that prevent the virus from attacking your body, antiviral drugs help treat an already infected person. However, antiviral drugs can only help limit infections. As research is still ongoing, some antiviral drugs have potential effectiveness for treating COVID-19. These include Remdesivir, AT-527, EIDD-2801, and Favipiravir. Medics use most antiviral drugs to treat several other diseases, as they help suppress the virus’s effects and limit the patient’s suffering. Although they’re best administered before the adverse effects of the virus are felt, they help slow the overall damage to the immune system.

  1. Plasma Therapy

The convalescent plasma theory on COVID-19 treatment allows medics to take blood from a recovering person. The view is that the antibodies present in their plasma can help fight the virus in other people. For hospitalized COVID-19 patients who donate their plasma, there’s evidence of a high level of SARs- CoV-2. Since the virus can replicate in the human body, the antibodies manage to stop the viral replication.

Convalescent plasma therapy is criticized since it could lead to the transfer of other diseases. However, if plasma contains a high antibody count, it’s a viable solution to help the immune system fight the virus.

  1. Introduction Of Monoclonal Antibodies

These antibodies are responsible for attacking viruses, thus preventing them from eating up cells. Although they’re lab-generated, they give an extra boost to the immune system antibodies. After going through several trials from different medical labs, the monoclonal antibodies can help fight the virus up to 77% percent.

In addition, they’re fast at generating results as people given the antibodies could show improvement in less than 11 days. Having gone through several improvements, they’re confirmed to be effective in preventing infection. Most vaccine-generating companies use monoclonal antibodies as ingredients for the general makeup of their doses.

  1. Immune Modulators

People infected with the coronavirus experience immune system malfunction, such as releasing large amounts of proteins. Scientists refer to them as cytokines. These proteins are responsible for Acute Respiratory Deficiency Syndrome (ARDS). Most patients with severe COVID-19 infection need to use ventilators to assist them in breathing.

To help the immune system get back on track, immune modulators come in handy. Dexamethasone, Baricitinib, and Leronlimab are among the most common immunomodulators. These can only be administered after the doctors have examined the patient and noticed the high level of cytokines overwhelming the immune system.

Conclusion

Scientists worldwide are working towards a permanent solution for COVID-19—all recent advancements in vaccines and treatment point towards getting the virus under control. Although there are no conclusive and solid remedies yet, the strategies are working. It is evident that the disease is somehow managed and infections and death rates are already under control. For this reason, many countries and states have slowly started opening up—accepting travelers and increasing seating capacities for establishments like restaurants and cinemas.


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I am a pop culture and social media expert. Aside from writing about the latest news health, I also enjoy pop culture and Yoga. I have BA in American Cultural Studies and currently enrolled in a Mass-Media MA program. I like to spend my spring breaks volunteering overseas.

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