The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved two new treatments for Covid-19. On Friday, the global body expanded treatment options along with the existing vaccines to prevent the severity of symptoms and death from the Coronavirus disease. This comes amid the surge in Omicron cases with hospitalisation around the world. Moreover, the WHO has predicted half of Europe will be infected by March thsi year. In their recommendation in British medical Journal the BMJ, WHO experts talked about the two new Covid-19 treatments Baricitinib and Sotrovimab to treat Covid-19. Read further to know more about these drugs.
They said that the arthritis drug baricitinib can be used with corticosteroids to cure severe or critical Covid patients led to better survival rates and reduced need for ventilators. Experts also suggested synthetic antibody treatment Sotrovimab for people who are having non-severe Covid at a high risk of hospitalisation, such as older people with immunodeficiencies or chronic conditions such as diabetes. Sotrovimab has several benefits for people who are not at risk of hospitalisation. And, the WHO said its effectiveness to fight new variants such as Omicron was "still uncertain".
Only three other Covid treatments have received approval from the WHO, beginning with corticosteroids for severity of illness in September 2020. Corticosteroids are affordable and widely available. They can help in reducing inflammation that is common in severe cases. Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab, edorsed by WHO in July, are IL-6 inhibitors that suppress a dangerous overreaction of the immune system to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Baricitinib belongs to a different class of drugs known as Janus kinase inhibitors, but it comes under the same guidelines and instructions as the IL-6 inhibitors. "When both are available, choose one based on issues including cost and clinician experience," the guidelines say.
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Synthetic antibody treatment Regeneron was also approved by the global health body in September and the guidelines say Sotrovimab can be used for the same class of Covid positive patients. The WHO's Covid treatment options are regularly updated on the basis of fresh data from clinical trials. With Covid-19 cases on a spike globally, it is important to follow all the guidelines and instructions. Wear masks, wash hands frequently and maintain social distance at all times.