Centre issues updated clinical guidance for management of COVID-19 patients

It says remdesivir may be considered only for those patients with moderate to severe diseases (requiring supplemental oxygen) within 10 days of onset of symptoms.

The Union Health Ministry has issued an updated ‘Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult COVID-19 Patients’ recommending emergency use authorisation of remdesivir for patients with moderate to severe diseases, requiring supplemental oxygen, within 10 days of onset of symptoms. The guidelines issued by AIIMS, ICMR-COVID-19 National Task Force and the Joint Monitoring Group (DGHS) under the ministry stated that tocilizumab (a drug that modifies the immune system or its functioning) may be considered in patients with significantly raised inflammatory markers and not improving despite use of steroids with there being no active bacterial/fungal/tubercular infection. They also recommended off-label use of convalescent plasma only in the early moderate disease, preferably within seven days of symptom onset, stating that “no use after seven days” and only on availability of high titre donor plasma.