Odisha Govt Decides To Start Favipiravir Therapy For COVID-19 Patients In Home Isolation

Bhubaneswar: The state government, which had issued SOP to the authorities on use of Favipiravir by COVID-19 patients on Saturday, decided to start the therapy for those in home isolation on Monday.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy, at a high level virtual meeting, directed the Health and Family Welfare department to circulate the SOP on use of Favipiravir among doctors. He also asked to train members of rapid response teams (RRTs) for assessing suitability of a patient for the therapy.

“Covid-19 is an evolving crisis. The new clinical input and empirical evidence about the pandemic has proved the effectiveness of Favipiravir treatment as an antiviral therapy. It will save the patients in home isolation from getting serious,” Tripathy said.

Since the medicine needs to be administered with proper advice and precaution, he directed a team of experienced doctors to advise the patients over audio visual media about its use.

Meanwhile, state government’s Technical Advisor on COVID-19, Dr Jayant Panda said  the distribution of Favipiravir will start in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri.

He said that if Favipiravir is taken in the initial stage of a patient developing symptoms, the viral load can reduce significantly and health condition will improve.

On the dose of the tablet, Dr Panda said it will be given to the patients for five days. On the first day, nine tablets will be taken each in the morning and evening while four tablets will be taken twice daily on the second, third and the fourth day.

However, it will not be given to asymptomatic patients, pregnant women and children, Dr Panda said.

Also Read: Odisha Govt Issues SOP For Use Of Favipiravir Tablets For COVID-19 Patients; Details Here