I wish they had picked a different state. I read somewhere were NY was giving it only to people who have been put on ventilators. May not be the best use. I would rather they give it to people with symptoms, but who haven’t gotten to that point yet. The media would love to have this fail so they can keep the hysteria going.
Just like when our kids were little....we watched for that temperature. It was the best clue we had except for looking in their eyes.
Republican Florida Governor says it’s being used in Florida:
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/325642-israeli-drugs-combatting-coronavirus
Ron DeSantis: Israeli hydroxychloroquine combating coronavirus
In a media availability Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis confirmed that Israeli-sourced hydroxychloroquine is already being used in South Florida hospitals.
The hope is that hydroxychloroquine, approved for treatment of arthritis, lupus, and malaria, works off label, as a “right to try” medicine for those without other medical recourse.
The Governor said Saturday the drug would be sent to hot spots for COVID-19, including Dade, Broward, Hillsborough and Orange counties.
The Governor noted Saturday that it is being used in New York, and offered anecdotal evidence of a “Floridian in very bad shape” who “used it and it seemed to clear up the lungs and the virus.”
“I’m not a doctor. I’m not telling anyone to take it or not to take it,” DeSantis added. “This is just something that doctors may have at their disposal.”
I wish they had picked a different state. I read somewhere were NY was giving it only to people who have been put on ventilators. May not be the best use. I would rather they give it to people with symptoms, but who haven’t gotten to that point yet.
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That’s probably ok. Most people with less severe symptoms will spontaneously recover. The treatment is being given to those in a more dire condition whio might otherwise not recover. This will also reduce the possibility of running out of the drug.
I’d hope they’d trial on different points of illness so they know if/when it works.
I read somewhere were NY was giving it only to people who have been put on ventilators.
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I’ve seen comments along these lines but I don’t think it’s true, or at least is an overstatement. They seem to be selecting patients with “moderate to severe” symptoms but I haven’t seen anything about them being on a respirator per se.
From the article:
“””””””The plan is for officials to find coronavirus patients with moderate and severe cases whose medical histories suggest they could benefit from the drugs.
Officials don’t expect to see critical patients going from grave conditions to full recovery instantly. “We’re looking to see much more subtle measurable outcomes, including lower viral loads, shorter duration of illness,” the official said.”””””””””
They do seem to be expecting this choice of patients to give less dramatic improvements. My impression is HCQ is most effective when given earlier in the progression versus later. But maybe the officials want it to be clear cut that they’re testing HCQ as a treatment rather than as prophylaxis. If you have patients with only slight or no symptoms (even though they’ve tested positive) maybe it could be seen as blurring the distinction. Just speculating.