Is it Time to End the ‘Covid Zero’ Strategy? | Prognosis: Covid UNCUT скачать в хорошем качестве

Is it Time to End the ‘Covid Zero’ Strategy? | Prognosis: Covid UNCUT

Bloomberg’s Jason Gale and Deakin University’s Catherine Bennett discuss the pandemic and the trial of new antiviral pill Molnupiravir. The antiviral pill being developed by Merck & Co., has been touted as a potential game changer in the fight against Covid-19. The experimental medication was shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by about half in a late-stage study of adults with mild-to-moderate cases. The promise of a drug that patients can easily get and take at home has prompted some governments to order supplies even before regulators have decided whether to approve its use. How effective is it? Interim analysis of data from a randomized trial found that it cut the risk of hospitalization by about 50%, Merck said in an Oct. 1 statement. Of 385 patients who got the drug, 28 or 7.3% were hospitalized, compared with 53 out of 377 (14.1%) who got a placebo. Through day 29, no deaths were reported in patients who received molnupiravir, but eight died in the placebo arm. The study was relatively small, and further research is required. But results were so encouraging that Merck and Ridgeback, in consultation with independent trial monitors and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, halted the trial and began the process of gaining regulatory clearance. The company said at a conference in September that early research showed molnupiravir can thwart the most common SARS-CoV-2 variants, including delta and gamma. How is it different from other drugs? Gilead Sciences Inc.’s antiviral remdesivir, as well as monoclonal antibodies, are administered via an intravenous infusion. This is usually done in a hospital or a clinic, where infected people risk transmitting the virus to medical staff and other patients. Molnupiravir’s main advantage is that it’s taken as a pill, enabling patients to be treated at home. It’s also likely to be cheaper: A five-day course of molnupiravir will cost about $700 per patient -- a third of the cost of a monoclonal antibody treatment, according to the New York Times. Safe, well-tolerated, affordable and easy-to-administer antivirals are ideal treatments because they directly counter the virus, limiting its damage to the body and the duration of illness. Steroids and blood-thinners that have been shown to improve survival in hospitalized patients don’t directly fight the virus; rather they prevent a worsening of Covid symptoms. How was it administered? Molnupiravir was taken orally every 12 hours for five days by adults with mild-to-moderate Covid. Studies are still underway to determine the most efficacious regimen. A study earlier this year showed molnupiravir had little effect when it was given to patients already hospitalized with severe disease. One study is testing whether it can be used to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spreading in households in which one or more members have Covid. Are there side effects? Interim analysis found no increased incidence of adverse events. Only 1.3% of participants taking molnupiravir quit the therapy due to an adverse event, compared with 3.4% in the placebo group. Still, molnupiravir will need to be assessed in a much larger group of patients to properly determine its safety. People involved in the trial were instructed to abstain from heterosexual sex or use contraception. While this is routine practice with some other medicines, such as cancer chemotherapy, it suggests that molnupiravir has the potential to cause birth defects should someone become pregnant. Will it replace the need for vaccines? No. Vaccination remains the most effective shield against Covid-19. Still, Covid-19 cases are continuing to occur even in highly vaccinated populations, meaning antiviral therapies will play an important role in limiting the disease’s severity, especially in the elderly and people with weakened immune systems for whom vaccination is less effective. The best first line of defense against this disease is to not get infected in the first place. Social and public health measures, such as wearing face masks and maintaining a physical distance, are still key to preventing virus transmission and ending Covid epidemics. Like this video? Subscribe: https://bit.ly/3iERrup #Covid #Prognosis #Explained Bloomberg Quicktake: Explained brings you the context behind the headlines, helping you see the day's news through the prism of what will matter in the years ahead. Check out our partner channels Bloomberg Quicktake: Originals for original series and Bloomberg Quicktake: Now for breaking global news. To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/qt/live, or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app. Connect with us! YouTube:    / bloomberg   Breaking News on YouTube:    / bloombergquicktakenews   Twitter:   / quicktake   Facebook:   / quicktake   Instagram:   / quicktake