Treatments

A: As many places see a significant surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitals and resources become strained. Crisis standards of care represent a big change from usual healthcare made necessary by a major disaster. Crisis standards help guide decisions that must be made in extreme scarcity of resources (including staff, stuff, and space). Crisis standards of Read more…

Pfizer’s antiviral regimen appears highly effective at keeping high-risk COVID-19 patients alive and out of the hospital, and demonstrates no safety concerns in the final reporting from its pivotal randomized controlled trial. These findings are especially welcome in the wake of deep disappointment surrounding the lackluster final trial results of Merck’s antiviral. But before we Read more…

A: Maybe. Maybe not. The evidence is promising, but we still need more information. ⬇️ Read on for the why, what we know, and what we don’t yet know. WHY THIS WORKS? Recently, people have focused on using medications that already exist to help treat people who have COVID-19 and help them get better sooner. Read more…

Key points: ✔️ Randomized trial data suggest Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral pill is safe and efficacious in high-risk unvaccinated populations ✔️ Taken in combo w/a common HIV drug, Pfizer’s antiviral reduces risk of hospitalization or death by 89% over placebo when taken w/in 3 days of onset ✔️ What scientists still want to know: How well Read more…

TGIF! We now have *TWO* successful COVID antiviral pills likely headed to market ASAP! From Pfizer’s CEO: “Today’s news is a real game-changer in the global efforts to halt the devastation of this pandemic. These data suggest that our oral antiviral candidate, if approved or authorized by regulatory authorities, has the potential to save patients’ Read more…

We Nerdy Girls are abuzz about the a-mazing clinical trial data reported out by Merck on its investigational antiviral pill. Here’s what we know so far: ➡️ Merck’s antiviral pill reduced by 50% the chances that newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients would be hospitalized over a 1-month period relative to placebo ➡️ No red flags raised Read more…

The safety profile for monoclonal antibody treatment is very good. For people with COVID-19 infections who do not need to be hospitalized and who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness, monoclonal antibody therapies can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. ⁠ ⁠ Monoclonal antibody therapies use laboratory made antibodies that are Read more…

A: Short answer: Yes. For people with COVID-19 infections who do not need to be hospitalized and who are at high risk of progressing to severe illness, monoclonal antibody therapies can reduce the risk of hospitalization and death. For the long answer, keep reading! Monoclonal antibody therapies use laboratory made antibodies that are similar to Read more…

A: Taking care of yourself and focusing on getting better is priority #1! Get rest, stay hydrated, isolate physically but connect emotionally, and watch out for warning signs. As cases rise in some communities, now is a good time to remind ourselves of the basics of self-care when diagnosed with COVID-19. 🏠Stay home. Most people Read more…

A: Signs are hopeful! Widespread vaccination remains our best bet at #kickingCOVID. But having an arsenal of treatments is important, too. In a recent speech at the National Press Club, Dr. Fauci argued that the biggest treatment need is a convenient medicine – like a pill – that can stomp out severe disease at the Read more…