Amid Rising Infections, WHO Approves Two New Treatments For COVID-19

New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday approved two new drugs for the treatment of COVID-19.

As per the WHO experts, the arthritis drug baricitinib, used with corticosteroids, has proved to be effective in treating severe or severe COVID patients, leading to more promising survival rates and decreased requirement for ventilation.

Notably, this good news has come amidst the increasing number of coronaviruses infected every day in the world. The WHO estimates that half of Europe will be infected by March.

In their recommendation in the British medical journal BMJ, WHO experts said the arthritis drug baricitinib, used with corticosteroids to treat severe or severe COVID patients, has improved survival rates and reduced the need for ventilators.

Experts have also recommended synthetic antibody treatment sotrovimab for non-severe COVID patients. It is effective for those infected who are at high risk of hospitalization. These include people who are elderly, suffer from weakened immune systems, or suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Since September 2020, WHO has approved four drugs, including corticosteroids, for critically ill patients. Corticosteroids are inexpensive and widely available. Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab were approved by the WHO in July.

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