A new tool to fight COVID soon?

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The announcement that a pill from Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics kept Covid patients out of the hospital made headlines and moved stocks late last week. But as is so often true when data are released by press release, there are still many questions left unanswered.

Doctors are excited about the medicine, molnupiravir, because a regimen of pills, even one that involves taking several pills twice a day for five days, should be far easier to deliver to patients than current antiviral Covid-19 treatments, which must be given intravenously. But it’s still unclear how widely this treatment will be used. There will also be debate among financial analysts at investment banks regarding exactly how many billions of dollars in sales the new drug will generate.

Understanding Covid and the vaccine.

Here are some things to keep in mind as we learn more about molnupiravir and about other Covid-fighting pills in development at other companies.

How many other anti-Covid pills will end up proving effective?

One of the reasons that the success of molnupiravir is such a big deal is that there were questions as to whether an antiviral pill could help Covid-19 patients if given early enough. This medicine certainly did, reducing hospitalizations by 50%; it also appeared to have an impact on whether patients survived. That makes it a game-changer. Its success also ups the odds that other medicines will prove effective, too.

Understanding Covid and the vaccine

Double vaccination halves risk of long COVID, study finds

Why the vaccine took 75 years to develop.

Date:

September 1, 2021

Source:

King's College London

Summary:

Adults who have received a double vaccination are 47 percent less likely to have long COVID should they contract a COVID-19 infection, according to new research.

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Adults who have received a double vaccination are 49% less likely to have Long COVID should they contract a COVID-19 infection, a new study finds.

Researchers at King's College London analysed data from participants logging their symptoms, tests and vaccines 8th December 2020 and 4 July 2021, including 1,240,009 (first dose) and 971,504 (second dose) vaccinated UK adults. The research team assessed a range of factors, including age, frailty and areas of deprivation and compared that with post-vaccination infection.

The study, published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, found that in the unlikely event of catching COVID-19 after being double vaccinated, the risk of Long COVID was reduced by almost half. There were also fewer hospitalisations (73% less likely) and lower burden of acute symptoms (31% less likely) among those fully vaccinated. The nature of the most common symptoms were similar to unvaccinated adults -- e.g. anosmia,(loss of smell) cough, fever, headaches, and fatigue. All these symptoms were milder and less frequently reported by people who were vaccinated, and they were half as likely to get multiple symptoms in the first week of illness. Sneezing was the only symptom which was more commonly reported in vaccinated people with COVID-19.

Why the vaccine took 75 years to develop.

However, people living in most deprived areas were at greater risk of infection after a single vaccination. While age on its own was not a risk factor, individuals who had health conditions that limited their independence -- such as frailty -- were up to two times more likely to contract COVID-19 infection after vaccination, and of getting sick.

The findings demonstrate the need to target at-risk groups. Frail adults have already been shown to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The research team suggests strategies such as a timely booster programme, targeted infection control measures and more research into the immune response to vaccination in this group could help address the issue.

Lead researcher Dr Claire Steves from King's College London said: "In terms of the burden of Long COVID, it's good news that our research has found that having a double vaccination significantly reduces the risk of both catching the virus and if you do, developing long standing symptoms. However, among our frail, older adults and those living in deprived areas the risk is still significant and they should be urgently prioritised for second and booster vaccinations."