Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, warned against social unrest, hunger and starvation that could come as a result of the coronavirus pandemic on Friday. Rocca urged world leaders to start working together on a plan that will help relieve the economic damage brought by the pandemic the same way the Marshall Plan used by the United States helped countries recover from World War II.
"We need to plan together with institutions a social response before it is too late," Rocca stated during a video news conference. Rocca highlighted on the lack of income for millions around the world will lead to mass migrations without economic relief, if, for many, "their only option is hunger and starvation."
The Marshall Plan was a relief package given by the United States to Western Europe to aid in their recovery from the economic and infrastructural damage brought by World War II. At the time, the U.S. gave $12 billion to Western European countries to aid their economies, which is equivalent to over $128 billion today.
Total Global Cases: Over 2.9 Million
Total Deaths: At Least 203,000
Total Recovered: At Least 840,000
Say No to Hydroxcychloroquine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers against the use of chloroquine and its sibling hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 outside of a hospital or formal clinical trial, advising physicians against prescribing the drugs outside of those settings on Friday.
The agency reported that the use of the drugs could result in poisoning or death, after reviewing early reports on the drugs use as a potential treatment. The FDA also cited reports of "serious heart rhythm problems" in patients with COVID-19 who were treated with the malaria drugs in combinations with antibiotic azithromycin, also known as a Z-pak.
In addition, a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), concluded that researchers had ended a study of the malaria drugs in treatment of COVID-19 early after some patients had developed irregular heart rates and nearly two dozen died.
The use of the drugs as a potential cure for COVID-19 accelerated after President Donald Trump had brought widespread attention to a small study of 36 patients in France published in mid-March, concluding that most of the patients taking the malaria drug cleared the virus from their bloodstream faster compared to those using other treatments. However, the JAMA reported noted that the trial did not meet the publishing society's stated, meaning there were scientific flaws.
Yet, states and local governments across the United States have begun stockpiling the drugs, according to The Associated Press. At least 22 states and Washington, D.C., has received shipments of the hydroxychloroquine.
"If he (Trump) hadn't amplified the early and inappropriate enthusiasm for the drug, I doubt if the state would have even been aware of it," said Dr. Kenneth B. Klein, a researcher that helps drug companies design clinical trials. "The states and the federal government are reacting in light of that fear. But it's not a rational response."
Say Maybe to Remdesivir
According to Reuters, a key U.S. government trial of Gilead Sciences's
The institute's trial "has all the necessary scientific standards that are really going to help us define if the drug works or not," Dr. Kalil stated.
The study is a randomized, double-blind trial in which half the patients are given remdesivir and the other half a placebo. Enrollment ended on Sunday, but exceeded the study's initial goal of 400 to 500 participants. The study will determine if the drug improves outcomes such as length of hospitalization, need for a ventilator and survival, given a range of disease severity.
