COVID-19 treatment

Many patients have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are symptomatic yet receive no treatment. They are told that “there really is no treatment,” but if providers and patients Googled the January issue of the American Journal of Medicine, they would find an article that outlines an outpatient treatment of COVID-19. There is also an article titled, “EVMS Critical Care COVID19 protocol” that can be found on Google with numerous treatment modalities.

These articles indicate that death and hospitalization rates can be reduced with outpatient treatment. Early treatment of symptomatic patients may also lessen the cases of long-term disability and patient suffering by ameliorating their symptoms.

Many of these patients truly suffer from severe fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath and other debilitating symptoms. Everyone should look up these articles. They cover contagion, self-re-inoculation, antiviral therapy, lessening viral replication, inflammatory (cytokine storm), and immunomodulation. The article indicates that a baby aspirin can reduce inflammation and help prevent clots from forming in the lungs and major organs. It mentions taking zinc lozenges, Pepcid and vitamin D all may help. I encourage everyone to discuss these options with their health care provider.

Hospitals now offer emergency room and outpatient treatment infusions of immune solutions, such as the one by Regeneron. These treatments can be life-changing.

The effects of COVID-19 will be around for decades, and early treatment will not only save lives, but it will save years of misery. Damage can be lessened by treatment, and treatment is available.

Dr. Glenn R. McDermott, assistant professor of Clinical Internal Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Virginia Beach