Most cases of COVID-19 are mild. In these, supportive care includes medication such as paracetamol or NSAIDs to relieve symptoms (fever, body aches, cough), proper intake of fluids, rest, and nasal breathing.[6][2][7][8] Good personal hygiene and a healthy diet are also recommended.[9] The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that those who suspect they are carrying the virus isolate themselves at home and wear a face mask.[10]
Several experimental treatments are being actively studied in clinical trials.[1] Others were thought to be promising early in the pandemic, such as hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir, but later research found them to be ineffective or even harmful.[1][17][18] Despite ongoing research, there is still not enough high-quality evidence to recommend so-called early treatment.[17][18] Nevertheless, in the United States, two monoclonal antibody-based therapies are available for early use in cases thought to be at high risk of progression to severe disease.[18] The antiviral remdesivir is available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and several other countries, with varying restrictions; however, it is not recommended for people needing mechanical ventilation, and is discouraged altogether by the World Health Organization (WHO),[19] due to limited evidence of its efficacy.[1]
Some people may experience persistent symptoms or disability after recovery from the infection; this is known as long COVID. There is still limited information on the best management and rehabilitation for this condition.[14]
As of February 2021, in the United States, remdesivir has FDA approval for certain COVID-19 patients, and there are Emergency Use Authorizations for baricitinib, bamlanivimab, bamlanivimab/etesevimab, and casirivimab/imdevimab.[25] On 16 April 2021, the FDA revoked the emergency use authorization (EUA) that allowed for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy bamlanivimab, when administered alone, to be used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and certain pediatric patients.[26] In the European Union, the use of dexamethasone is endorsed, and remdesivir has a conditional marketing authorisation.[27] Dexamethasone has clinical benefit in treating COVID-19, as determined in randomized controlled trials.[28][29] Early research suggested a benefit of remdesivir in preventing death and shortening illness duration, but this was not borne out by subsequent trials.[1]
Several antiviral drugs are under investigation for COVID-19, though none has yet been shown to be clearly effective on mortality in published randomized controlled trials.[30] The safety and effectiveness of convalescent plasma as a treatment option requires further research.[31] Other trials are investigating whether existing medications can be used effectively against the body's immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2 infection.[30][32] Research into potential treatments started in January 2020,[33] and several antiviral drugs are in clinical trials.[34][35] Although new medications may take until 2021 to develop,[36] several of the medications being tested are already approved for other uses or are already in advanced testing.[37] Antiviral medication may be tried in people with severe disease.[3] The WHO recommended volunteers take part in trials of the effectiveness and safety of potential treatments.[38]
People with COVID-19 sometimes develop secondary bacterial infections while their immune system is compromised. Research by the University of Birmingham suggests phage therapy may help such patients and may save lives. Clinical trials are proposed.[44]
Most cases of COVID‑19 are not severe enough to require mechanical ventilation or alternatives, but a percentage of cases are.[45][46] The type of respiratory support for individuals with COVID‑19 related respiratory failure is being actively studied for people in the hospital, with some evidence that intubation can be avoided with a high flow nasal cannula or bi-level positive airway pressure.[47] Whether either of these two leads to the same benefit for people who are critically ill is not known.[48] Some doctors prefer staying with invasive mechanical ventilation when available because this technique limits the spread of aerosol particles compared to a high flow nasal cannula.[45]
Mechanical ventilation had been performed in 79% of critically ill people in hospital including 62% who previously received other treatment. Of these 41% died, according to one study in the United States.[49]
Severe cases are most common in older adults (those older than 60 years,[45] and especially those older than 80 years).[50] Many developed countries do not have enough hospital beds per capita, which limits a health system's capacity to handle a sudden spike in the number of COVID‑19 cases severe enough to require hospitalisation.[51] This limited capacity is a significant driver behind calls to flatten the curve.[51] One study in China found 5% were admitted to intensive care units, 2.3% needed mechanical support of ventilation, and 1.4% died.[15] In China, approximately 30% of people in hospital with COVID‑19 are eventually admitted to ICU.[52]
The administration of inhaled nitric oxide to people being ventilated is not recommended, and evidence around this practice is weak.[53]
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an artificial lung technology that has been used since the 1980s to treat respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome when conventional mechanical ventilation fails. In this complex procedure, blood is removed from the body via large cannulae, moved through a membrane oxygenator that performs the lung functions of oxygen delivery and carbon dioxide removal, and then returned to the body. The Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) maintains a registry of outcomes for this technology, and it has been used in >120,000 patients over 435 ECMO centers worldwide with 40% mortality for adult respiratory patients.[57]
Initial use of ECMO in COVID-19 patients from China early in the pandemic suggested poor outcomes, with >90% mortality.[58] In March 2020, the ELSO registry began collecting data on the worldwide use of ECMO for patients with COVID-19 and reporting this data on the ELSO websiteArchived 2020-10-01 at the Wayback Machine in real time. In September 2020, the outcomes of 1,035 COVID-19 patients supported with ECMO from 213 experienced centers in 36 different countries were published in The Lancet, and demonstrated 38% mortality, which is similar to many other respiratory diseases treated with ECMO. The mortality is also similar to the 35% mortality seen in the EOLIA trial, the largest randomized controlled trial for ECMO in ARDS.[59] This registry based, multi-center, multi-country data provide provisional support for the use of ECMO for COVID-19 associated acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Given that this is a complex technology that can be resource intense, guidelines exist for the use of ECMO during the COVID-19 pandemic.[60][61][62]
Self-isolation has been recommended for people with mild cases of COVID-19 or who suspect they have been infected, even those with nonspecific symptoms, to prevent onward transmission of the virus and help reduce the burden on health care facilities.[2] In many jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, this is required by law.[64] Guidelines on self-isolation vary by country; the U.S. CDC and UK National Health Service have issued specific instructions, as have other local authorities.[65][64]
Adequate ventilation, cleaning and disinfection, and waste disposal are also essential to prevent further spread of infection.[41]
Precautions must be taken to minimise the risk of virus transmission, especially in healthcare settings when performing procedures that can generate aerosols, such as intubation or hand ventilation.[66] For healthcare professionals caring for people with COVID‑19, the CDC recommends placing the person in an Airborne Infection Isolation Room (AIIR) in addition to using standard precautions, contact precautions, and airborne precautions.[67]
When available, respirators (instead of face masks) are preferred.[70] CDC recommends mask use in public places, when not able to social distance, and while interacting with people outside of those that the person lives with.[71] N95 respirators are approved for industrial settings but the FDA has authorized the masks for use under an emergency use authorization (EUA). They are designed to protect from airborne particles like dust but effectiveness against a specific biological agent is not guaranteed for off-label uses.[72] When masks are not available, the CDC recommends using face shields or, as a last resort, homemade masks.[73]
Individuals may experience distress from quarantine, travel restrictions, side effects of treatment, or fear of the infection itself. To address these concerns, the National Health Commission of China published a national guideline for psychological crisis intervention on 27 January 2020.[74][75]
The Lancet published a 14-page call for action focusing on the UK and stated conditions were such that a range of mental health issues was likely to become more common. BBC quoted Rory O'Connor in saying, "Increased social isolation, loneliness, health anxiety, stress, and an economic downturn are a perfect storm to harm people's mental health and wellbeing."[76][77]
Concurrent treatment of other conditions[edit | edit source]
Early in the pandemic, theoretical concerns were raised about ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. However, later research found no evidence to justify stopping these medications in people who take them for conditions such as high blood pressure.[14][78][79][80] One study from 22 April found that people with COVID‑19 and hypertension had lower all-cause mortality when on these medications.[81] Similar concerns were raised about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen; these were likewise not borne out, and NSAIDs may both be used to relieve symptoms of COVID-19 and continue to be used by people who take them for other conditions.[82]
People who use topical or systemic corticosteroids for respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should continue taking them as prescribed even if they contract COVID-19.[28]
To date, most SARS-CoV-2-related clinical trials have excluded, or included only a few, pregnant or lactating women. This limitation makes it difficult to make evidence-based therapy recommendations in these patients and potentially limits their COVID-19 treatment options. The US CDC recommends shared decision-making between the patient and the clinical team when treating pregnant women with investigational medication.[83]
↑Chai KL, Valk SJ, Piechotta V, Kimber C, Monsef I, Doree C, et al. (October 2020). "Convalescent plasma or hyperimmune immunoglobulin for people with COVID-19: a living systematic review". Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 10: CD013600. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD013600.pub3. PMID33044747.
↑U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021-01-07). "Isolate If You Are Sick". CDC. Archived from the original on 2021-08-29. Retrieved 2021-01-18.