UK: Vulnerable COVID-19 patients treated with drugs, improving symptoms ‘within hours’

The UK health sector has bought nearly 5 million doses Paxlovid by Pfizer and other antiviral drugs such as Molnupiravir through an agreement signed by the British Government.

According to the results of the trials, the drug Paxlovid helped reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths by 88% and was given to more than 6,000 patients, of which 1,400 were given the drug in the past 7 days alone.

In clinical trials, molnupiravir was shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by up to 30%. The drug was approved in the UK in November 2021 and has been used as a home treatment for COVID-19 since December 2021.

Helen West, 56, from Walderslade, a large Kent suburb, was given Paxlovid after testing positive for COVID-19 and said she felt a difference within less than a month. full 6 hours.

She initially refused to take the drug because she “didn’t feel too bad”.

Ms West added: ‘I felt fine at first, just a little tired, but for two days now I’ve had a terrible sore throat, to the point where I can’t swallow or talk and I can barely walk.

More than 32,000 vulnerable COVID-19 patients in the UK have been treated with the drug at home. (Photo: AP)

Mrs West has ankylosing spondylitis, a rare chronic condition in which the spine and other parts of the body become inflamed, painful and stiff, requiring her to take medication that suppresses her immune system. me.

When the joints became painful, she changed her mind and called the hospital to ask for treatment.

“The process is very quick and efficient,” Ms West said. “Within 6 hours of taking the first pill, I felt a very slight improvement. After 4 days I was back to work. COVID-19 took its toll, but Paxlovid really made a difference. especially positive for my recovery.”

According to UK Government guidance, the drugs are being used to treat people identified as being most at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 or hospitalization.

The treatment stops the virus from replicating in cells, helping patients fight infections and recover faster. Medicines to treat COVID-19 Currently, it is only prescribed by a doctor on a case-by-case basis.

According to UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid: “Both the breakthrough antiviral drugs Molnupiravir and Paxlovid are available to those most vulnerable to the virus directly through the NHS and indeed through the NHS. great to see 32,000 patients reap the benefits.For anyone not in this high-risk group, if you’re 50 or older or 18 to 49 with underlying health conditions and If you test positive, you can enroll in the Panoramic study to gain access to this treatment.”

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