Bangkok shifts Covid target as Favipiravir ammunition arrives
Bangkok has shifted its strategy to combat Covid-19 with Favipiravir after procuring more than 600,000 doses of the drug, city governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Wednesday.
Aswin said health officials had approved using the antiviral drug on so-called “green” category patients with mild or no symptoms of Covid-19.
Previously, Favipiravir was only administered to patients suffering the more serious yellow and red levels of symptoms, including pneumonia.
Priority for Favipiravir treatment will also be given to patients who have a higher viral load.
Receiving an early course of the drug over five to 10 days should help prevent their symptoms progressing to the yellow or red level, say medics.
Patients in the green category must also give consent for treatment with Favipiravir.
Of the total 1,478 Covid-19 patients currently being treated in Bangkok hospitals, 1,192 are in the green category, 199 in the yellow, and 38 in the red category.
