Most people who died in the Western world from COVID-19 were not offered hydroxychloroquine. The evidence of Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine as a drug that can prevent some viral diseases (especially viruses surrounded by lipid envelopes like COVID-19) is well established.
See the attached evidence from Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine textbook. This textbook is the most respected textbook for Internal Medicine globally.
Chloroquine is an alkali/a base that works by creating alkaline or basic lysosomes. COVID-19 and other lipid-enveloped viruses multiple in acidic lysosomes. By making lysosomes alkaline/basic, the viruses are unable to multiple and cause harm.
I am an Internal medicine consultant physician at a hospital in the Middle East. I am a frontline physician and battling with COVID-19 in the trenches. At the peak, my hospital admits about 20 cases of COVID-19 positive pneumonias per day.
The responsibilities of treating them rest on my shoulders and those of my colleagues. My hospital admits only COVID-19 positive cases.
In addition to using hydroxychloroquine, I optimise my patients vitamin D3 and C levels and add antibiotics eg Azithromycin to prevent or deal with secondary bacterial infections. Viruses weaken your immune system and expose you to bacterial infections.
Please note that every drug has side effects, but we still take them because their benefits outweigh their risks.
Paracetamol if taken inappropriately can kill people by damaging the liver. Paracetamol is an over-the-counter drug, requiring no prescription from doctors to obtain.
Yes, Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine can cause cardiac arrhythmias, but so do hundreds of other drugs. However, if taken at appropriate doses, Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine is very safe.
For God’s sake, we have used Chloroquine since 1633 (nearly 400 years now) with no issues. How come all of a sudden in 2020, Chloroquine is now the most dreaded drug?
Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine are used for the treatment of malaria, amebiasis that is occurring outside the intestines, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Rheumatoid arthritis and SLE are chronic conditions and therefore, some patients suffering from them are on hydroxychloroquine two times a day for the rest of their lives. So, hydroxychloroquine is safe. Very safe.
We still use Chloroquine for the treatment of malaria in many parts of the world and will continue to use the excellent drug.
Plasmodium falciparum is resistant to chloroquine treatment except in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, parts of Central America, and parts of the Middle East where we still use Chloroquine to eradicate Plasmodium falciparum.
Resistance to Chloroquine is extremely rare in Plasmodium vivax infection, and Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae remain sensitive to chloroquine.
Plasmodium (singular)/Plasmodia (plural) are parasites that cause malaria fever.
In my hospital, the mortality rate from COVID-19 is less than 1%. Those who died had other reasons to die. Examples: Old age, chronic kidney disease on renal replacement therapy (dialysis), decompensated chronic liver disease, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease etc
Please stop listening to doctors who are not in the trenches. Theory is different from practical. We shall continue to use Chloroquine until when the vaccine against COVID-19 is available.
We also use Low-dose Dexamethasone, Tocilizumab and Convalescent plasma (collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 and contains antibodies against COVID-19). But these are reserved for moderate to severe COVID-19 cases. Many eventually die despite giving them these immunosuppressive drugs.
Therefore, the emphasis should remain on PREVENTION; because prevention is better than cure.
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.