I would advise caution. There are numerous threats to validity of the original Chinese study on only 30 patients. The Italians picked up on this combination therapy (they added azithromycin to the mix aka Z-pack in Italy and China). Some, not all, patients got better. This could be coincidence, i.e. the patient was getting better on their own. It could be that the patients had a secondary bacterial bronchial infection that the antibiotic azithromycin helped. Or the anti inflammatory potential of the chloroquine might have an effect.Naperville wrote: ↑Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:27 amDRs have found that hydroxychloroquine works to defeat the virus. We need to manufacture this ASAP until we find a vaccine.
The typical anti Malarial dose is once a week because of the potential for negative effects. These new recommendations were for once a day?! That doesn't make any sense.
It is not clear which factor is in play here or the one that will rise to the top, if they are effective. Any occasion where a recommendation is made then countered quickly within a day or two is worth your attention. Not action, but attention while the medicos sort out all the variables.
One does not treat a Viral infection with an Antibiotic medication. Antiviral medications should be used. There are multiple unfavorable potential side effects of using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine especially in at risk populations like the elderly where the presence of other medications would be more common. Multiple medications that all leave the body through the liver is not a good thing and will sicken people that would not be otherwise.
Caution and education.