GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Medical officials are looking into a treatment that is showing promising results in fighting COVID-19 coronavirus.
“Remdisivir, the research is starting to look really good,” says Prevea Health CEO Dr. Ashok Rai, “One study said it didn’t really work – one study says it shows a lot of promise. So we’re waiting for the NIH to publish all of the details of the study. The FDA is giving it emergency use authorization for that.”
It isn’t quite an end-all medication, but it appears to be having an impact on how long patients – and critically ill patients – are spending in the hospital.
“What we’ve noticed is that people are leaving maybe 4-5 days faster. And these are really long hospital stays, remember we’re talking weeks in the hospital. So it’s shortening the hospital stay, which means patients are improving when they receive the IV medication,” Rai says, “It shows us a lot of hope because we know how the drug works. It really prevents the virus from replicating – basically slowing it down so your body can catch up and beat it.”
However, Remdisivir isn’t a prescription you can walk out the door with as you’re released from the hospital.
“This is not a pill you’re going to pop when you get a positive test. This is an IV medication that we use for the sickest patients to get them out of the ICU or out of the hospital a little faster,” Rai explains, “This is not like a Tamiflu or Amoxicillin for strep throat or the flu. This is really for in the hospital usage – which is really exciting – but we never want you to get there in the first place.”
Scientists and medical experts around the world are working to find and develop treatments for COVID-19 – while publishing and sharing as much information as they can along the way.
“Really looking at what research is out there and the amount of sharing in the medical profession worldwide – we’ve never seen anything like it,” Rai says, “To be honest with you, when I’m not dealing with COVID work related issues or talking to you guys, that’s what we’re reading. We’re constantly looking out there at the real medical literature, not Facebook.”
Seven people in the area have also received convalescent plasma donations as treatments as well. Those donations involve the use of plasma from recovered patients to treat those currently suffering from COVID-19. One recipient is out of the hospital in Brown County.
