Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa
While the majority of COVID‐19 cases in South Africa (SA) are mild, patients with severe COVID‐19 requiring hospitalisation present with significant morbidity and mortality and place a substantial burden on healthcare services. Given the low vaccine uptake in SA and other low‐ and middle‐income...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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South African Medical Association
2023-12-01
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| Series: | South African Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1066 |
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| author | R Perumal V Naidoo S Govender T N Gengiah |
| author_facet | R Perumal V Naidoo S Govender T N Gengiah |
| author_sort | R Perumal |
| collection | DOAJ |
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While the majority of COVID‐19 cases in South Africa (SA) are mild, patients with severe COVID‐19 requiring hospitalisation present with significant morbidity and mortality and place a substantial burden on healthcare services. Given the low vaccine uptake in SA and other low‐ and middle‐income countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, the high prevalence of comorbidities and limited healthcare system capacity, evidence‐based interventions that reduce the risk of severe disease and death should be considered for implementation. Several antiviral classes have been newly developed or repurposed to treat COVID‐19 early after infection to retard progression to severe disease and reduce the risk of death, particularly in the elderly and/or in patients with comorbidities. COVID‐19 antivirals such as remdesivir, nirmatrelvir/ ritonavir and molnupiravir are safe and cost‐effective and have received either full approval or emergency use authorisation from regulators. Using a proposed test‐and‐treat strategy, judicious use of antivirals could be impactful.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ffbc34e792584f5e908a27a461e6a275 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0256-9574 2078-5135 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | South African Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-ffbc34e792584f5e908a27a461e6a2752025-02-10T12:26:37ZengSouth African Medical AssociationSouth African Medical Journal0256-95742078-51352023-12-011131210.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i12.1066Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South AfricaR Perumal0V Naidoo1S Govender2T N Gengiah3Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban, South AfricaCentre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban, South Africa While the majority of COVID‐19 cases in South Africa (SA) are mild, patients with severe COVID‐19 requiring hospitalisation present with significant morbidity and mortality and place a substantial burden on healthcare services. Given the low vaccine uptake in SA and other low‐ and middle‐income countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, the high prevalence of comorbidities and limited healthcare system capacity, evidence‐based interventions that reduce the risk of severe disease and death should be considered for implementation. Several antiviral classes have been newly developed or repurposed to treat COVID‐19 early after infection to retard progression to severe disease and reduce the risk of death, particularly in the elderly and/or in patients with comorbidities. COVID‐19 antivirals such as remdesivir, nirmatrelvir/ ritonavir and molnupiravir are safe and cost‐effective and have received either full approval or emergency use authorisation from regulators. Using a proposed test‐and‐treat strategy, judicious use of antivirals could be impactful. https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1066COVID-19SARS-CoV-2AntiviralTest-and-treat |
| spellingShingle | R Perumal V Naidoo S Govender T N Gengiah Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa South African Medical Journal COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral Test-and-treat |
| title | Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa |
| title_full | Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa |
| title_short | Antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate COVID-19 in South Africa |
| title_sort | antivirals for the treatment of mild and moderate covid 19 in south africa |
| topic | COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral Test-and-treat |
| url | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1066 |
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