By Ling Hui
KUCHING, Oct 3: Covid-19 antiviral pills could be a gamechanger in the fight against the deadly illness.
State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) advisor Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian said any addition to the current armory against Covid-19 will help.
He pointed out that scientists, medical experts and policy makers are already well aware that there is no single treatment for Covid-19.
“(It) needs a combination of vaccines, drugs (newer ones like RegenCOV, Baricitinib…), non-pharmaceutical and public health measures (facemasks, hand washing, physical distancing, self-risk assessment, oxygen saturation…),” he said in a social post today.
Among the links Dr Sim shared in his post was a link to a BBC news article about molnupiravir, an experimental drug for severe Covid-19. According to US drug-maker Merck, interim clinical trial results suggests the drug cuts the risk of hospitalisation or death by about half.
Despite it being an experimental drug which has yet to be authorised by the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr Sim said there will be a discussion with Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin to explore safe Covid-19 antiviral pills options for Sarawakians.
On Oct 2, Khairy had also tweeted that Malaysia has initiated negotiations to procure this new drug to treat Covid-19 patients as an additional option to vaccines. — DayakDaily
