Kerala revises COVID-19 treatment guidelines

New protocol stresses also on critical care guidelines for treating pregnant women

The State has brought out a revised treatment protocol for COVID-19, based on the latest evidence and essentially focussing on mortality reduction, especially in those considered to be at the highest risk of developing complications. “What we have highlighted is a therapeutic stewardship of COVID-19, which essentially means the right drug at the right time, dosage, and for the right duration, to the right patient. The protocol clearly says antibiotics like Azithromycin or vitamins are not indicated for COVID-19 patients. The primary aim of this revised protocol is to ensure that mortality is further brought down by focussing on the highest risk groups like pregnant women and those with end-stage organ damage due to diabetes,” says R. Aravind, Head of Infectious Diseases, Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College.