COVID-19 Prophylaxis in Healthcare workers

Fitness - Medicine News ^ | 03/29/2020 | Kenneth Lee

[motoman]

Outbreaks of human coronavirus infections have often been centered around hospitals and health-care providers in their early stages. This was seen with SARS-CoV-1 in 2003-04,<1>, <2> MERS-CoV in 2018-19<3>, and SARS-Cov-2 in 2020.<4> It is presumably related to the non-specific symptoms of these illnesses early in their clinical course coupled with close contact of health-care providers with infected patients in hospital, and inadequate personal protective equipment use.<3>

Infection of health-care providers with highly morbid human coronaviruses is problematic not just due to their subsequent role in propagating infection among vulnerable inpatients, but due to the impact of illness in health-care workers on adequate staffing during an epidemic. This would be expected to be even more pronounced during an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, given the potential for asymptomatic spread of disease.<5>

As a result, available pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis of health-care workers for SARS-Cov-2 would be ideal. An effective agent would be expected to both prevent spread of disease in hospitals, and maximize the workforce available to provide patient care during an epidemic situation.

[motoman]

Not sure if this was previously posted. Related on another recent thread was the following petition to push for Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine) as a propholaxis as an interim measure to all people to return to the workplace.

Outbreaks of human coronavirus infections have often been centered around hospitals and health-care providers in their early stages. This was seen with SARS-CoV-1 in 2003-04,<1>, <2> MERS-CoV in 2018-19<3>, and SARS-Cov-2 in 2020.<4> It is presumably related to the non-specific symptoms of these illnesses early in their clinical course coupled with close contact of health-care providers with infected patients in hospital, and inadequate personal protective equipment use.<3>

Infection of health-care providers with highly morbid human coronaviruses is problematic not just due to their subsequent role in propagating infection among vulnerable inpatients, but due to the impact of illness in health-care workers on adequate staffing during an epidemic. This would be expected to be even more pronounced during an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, given the potential for asymptomatic spread of disease.<5>

As a result, available pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis of health-care workers for SARS-Cov-2 would be ideal. An effective agent would be expected to both prevent spread of disease in hospitals, and maximize the workforce available to provide patient care during an epidemic situation.

[MrEdd]

People on this forum have been recommending exactly this since the people on the quarantined cruise in Asia returned home.

Because that is how long we have known about the prophylactic effect of hydroxychloroquine.

[Pelham]

There were reports of Chloroquine being effective during the first SARS outbreak back in 2003 but it’s likely it was forgotten.

This current Covid-19 virus is actually another SARS virus, 86% the same genome.

Here is a NIH article published in 2005:

“Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1232869/

[Mrs. Don-o]

I have a half-pill-bottle of HCQ (Plaquenil 200 mg) left over from when I used to take it for my Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is presently, inexplicably, in one of its remission moods.

If I have any virus exposure or concerning symptoms over 24 hours duration, I intend to take the HCQ at a loading dose of 400mg, and then at 200mg a day, as a preventative measure, together with small dose of cheap OTC zinc supplement, til I run out of HCQ.

I feel invincible with this plan. I don't know why! I've been in personal isolation (my husband does the shopping, bless his wise understanding that "husband" is a verb!) since March 15.