The second wave of the novel coronavirus has hit a number of countries and a number of them are experiencing overwhelmed hospitals with patients that they are not able to manage. But now the scientists have shown a new ray of hope and have said that a new drug could prove to be a big step towards dealing with the pandemic and will allow the hospitals to function as normal.
People developing the drug have claimed that the new COVID pill will be able to deal with the problem of the constant lockdowns the governments are forced to implement as a measure to contain the virus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom has announced that it will soon announce about treatments that anyone can take after the patients have been tested positive or have been exposed to the virus. The upcoming pill have given hopes that the further waves of the virus could be stopped.
For now the only antiviral that is being used in clinical trials for the early stages of infection is Favipiravir which is a flu drug and a result is expected to be out in six months. Prof Kevin Blyth, the Chief trial investigator said that if things work as planned then it would be a big leap towards containing the virus. Blyth added that the hospitals will no longer be put in to pressure as the patients will no longer have to turn to the hospitals. The services will be able to function as normal and the governments will no longer have to implement lockdowns.
Talking about Favipiravir, it was developed in Japan in the year 2014. If the study shows that the drug works towards SARS-CoV-2 then millions of doses could be sent to the NHS. This would mean that an everyday tablet would help to kill the virus if it is taken within a few days of testing positive. An answer is expected to be out in the next six months.
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