Covid-19: Health ministry drops ivermectin, doxycycline from treatment guidelines

The Centre has dropped medicines such as ivermectin, doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine from its guidelines to treat mild Covid-19 cases.

The revised guidelines, issued by the Union health ministry’s Directorate General of Health Services on May 27, recommended only the use of antipyretics (for fever) and antitussives (cold medication) in mild cases.

The health ministry, in Updated Detailed Clinical Management Protocol for adult cases of Covid-19, released on May 24, had suggested that doctors ask mild Covid-19 patients to take ivermectin once a day for three to five days or hydroxychloroquine twice for one day, and once for the next four days.

Now, the updated treatment guidelines state that apart from fever and cold medication, no other Covid-specific medication is required in mild cases.

The guidelines recommended that patients observe Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining distance from others. They added that patients should tele-consult with their doctors, monitor temperature and oxygen saturation levels and eat a healthy and balanced diet.

For asymptomatic cases, the updated guidelines recommended not taking any medication. “Continue medications for other co-morbid conditions, if any,” the guidelines added.

In case of moderate and severe infection, the guidelines provided detailed protocol for hospital care. They recommended that a Computed tomography or CT scan…

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