UP govt directs use of drug Ivermectin for treatment of COVID-19 patients, to replace HCQ

The Uttar Pradesh government has approved the use of ivermectin tablet for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

This drug will be used as a replacement for hydroxychloroquine.

The drug will also be given to frontline health workers in COVID-19 hospitals, apart from people infected with COVID-19 and their contacts. 

Ivermectin tablets are being used in many hospitals of the country including  AIIMS, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Max Hospital in Delhi.

Further, the health department has instructed people who came into contact with COVID-19 positive patient to take this drug in order to protect them from possible infection.

Invermectin, a tablet used to treat parisitic infections like head lice, scabies, river blindness, strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, showed effective results on COVID-19 in various studies conducted by various researchers.

In one such research study conducted by Xi’an Jiaotong University involving 116 patients who tested positive for COVID-19, the combination of Ivermectin with Doxycycline was seen to be a far superior treatment regime than  Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin therapy in mild to moderate COVID-19 infections.

It is to be noted that hydroxychloroquine tablets were only being taken by frontline health care workers. The ICMR had recommended the use of the anti-malaria drug as a preventive treatment against COVID-19 for asymptomatic healthcare workers in non-COVID hospitals, frontline personnel deployed in containment zones, and paramilitary/police officials involved in coronavirus infection-related activities.