The World Health Organisation (WHO) has updated the guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, as it allows the conditional use of Molnupiravir, an anti-viral pill. This is the first anti-viral oral pill that is included in the treatment of the disease.

Along with this, WHO has recommended active monitoring as the drug is new and safety data needs more detailed inputs. Due to these shortcomings, WHO recommends using it in only non-severe and high-risk hospitalization cases only.  This will include non-vaccinated people, old age people with chronic diseases and immuno-deficiency disorders.

Consuming Molnupiravir: Do And Dont’s

Molnupiravir is an oral anti-viral pill by the US pharmaceutical company, Merck. Some people also refer to this pill as ‘Merck Pill’.  A patient needs to ingest 4 tablets twice daily for five days, within 5 days of onset of symptoms. If used early this pill can reduce the chances of hospitalization in many patients.

The collection of the data is done under the controlled trials which had 4796 patients. Till now, this is the largest data record on the drug.

Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women are excluded from the recommended list of people who can take this drug. As the drug can harm bone and cartilage growth.

But people in old age people having chronic diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, immunodeficiency disorders can take the pill. In Non-vaccinated people also it can be used, as early as the symptoms appear.

Another issue is the availability of the pill. So for that issue WHO is taking steps to increase the access and production of the pill, including the Voluntary Licensing Agreement. ACT-A (Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator) at present is making the limited supply of the pill in areas most needed.

The health experts have welcomed the step as oral treatment is the easy and quick way of treatment. The pill also helps in inhibiting the multiplication of the covid virus. In addition to this the experts and WHO still feels that vaccination is the main and prime way of treatment recommended for the fight against COVID-19.