Health Ministry issues revised clinical management protocol for Coronavirus patients

The Union Health Ministry has issued revised clinical management protocol for COVID-19 patients. The new protocol also contains the details of symptoms and conditions in different stages of treatment.

The Ministry has also described the use of investigational therapies- Remdesivir, Convalescent Plasma, Tocilizumab and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)  on COVID-19 infected persons. It said, the use of these drugs is subjected to limited availability in the country as of now and currently, these drugs should only be used in a defined sub-group of patients. In the protocol, the Ministry has recommended  the dosage of the antiviral drug--Remdesivir, being administered to hospitalized COVID-19 patients  to five-day treatment



course.

The Ministry said, remdesivir drug is only for restricted emergency use on patients with moderate disease who are  on oxygen support. The drug can not be administered to a pregnant or lactating mother and children below the age of 12 years. Also, the drug is not recommended to a patient with severe renal impairment.

The use of anti-malaria drug HCQ has been recommended for early use in the disease course as possible to achieve any meaningful effects and should be avoided in patients with severe disease. However, the use of Tocilizumab drug as an off-label application may be considered in patients with moderate disease with progressively increasing oxygen requirements.