Treatments

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…

A: We are learning more and more as the pandemic continues, but there are still lots of questions. For now, remdesivir appears to help you feel better faster (but maybe doesn’t help people live longer), corticosteroids for really sick people definitely help people live longer but aren’t useful for people with mild symptoms, tocilizumab is Read more…

A: It’s been a minute since we updated you about COVID-19 treatments. This will take a couple of posts, but let’s start with patients who do not need to be hospitalized (called outpatients or ambulatory patients). There are still more questions than answers, but let’s go through the evidence. In short, the bamlanivimab/etesevimab combo may Read more…

A: New clues are hopeful! Alas we can’t yet declare “case closed.” New data out of Oxford suggest that the inhaled drug budesonide* may greatly reduce hospitalization risk for COVID-19 patients when used within one week of symptom onset. As noted in the press release: “The 28-day study of 146 patients suggested that inhaled budesonide Read more…

Q: I’m seeing chatter around a study re: melatonin and COVID-19 prevention and recovery. Should we be taking melatonin every night? What’s an appropriate amount to avoid disrupting our sleep hormones TOO much and having a dose that might actually help?” A: TL;DR: Sufficient restorative sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. Melatonin, which Read more…