Garth A. Rattray| Please give us a fighting chance against COVID-19

SINCE MY article, ‘Consider Ivermectin for COVID-19 treatment’ was published on Monday, January 4, 2021, I have been receiving a lot of supportive and informative emails from people all across the globe who have either benefited directly, or known of others who have benefited, from its use.

That article briefly chronicled the discovery and development of the drug, its widespread use in animals and humans, its effectiveness, safety and inexpensiveness. It is used to treat human diseases like onchocerciasis (which causes river blindness), lymphatic filariasis (which causes elephantiasis), head lice, scabies, screw worms, and several intestinal parasites. Mosquitoes that feed on people taking Ivermectin have shorter lifespans. Tens of millions of people have benefited from Ivermectin. It is on par with penicillin and aspirin as being found in nature, receiving a Nobel Prize and, most of all, providing the “greatest beneficial impact on the health and well-being of humanity”.

Ivermectin is no stranger to Jamaica; our veterinarians prescribe it for pets and livestock, and some of our physicians prescribe it for parasites in and on human beings, including children. Interestingly, it also interrupts the chemical pathway that viruses use to infect our cells, and is helpful in reducing the severity of COVID-19 infections. Therefore, some other jurisdictions have had the drug repurposed as part of the armamentarium against this horrid plague.

CONCERNS

Although Ivermectin appears to reduce or completely suppress the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, it has not yet had the benefit of years of in-depth research for that indication. Additionally, earlier on, there was a concern regarding the effective dose needed to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But since its increasing use against COVID-19 and more recent research/observations to draw from, Ivermectin has emerged as deserving of repurposing for use in SARS-CoV-2 infections. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, despite its potential benefits during this horrific pandemic, some authorities know little or absolutely nothing about the drug! And, although it is cheap and has been proven safe for use in humans of all ages for decades, inexplicably, there has been no effort to make it readily available.

Currently, whenever people contract COVID-19, they are told to stay home and isolate or quarantine, depending on whether they are experiencing symptoms or not. They are told to perform routine self-assessments of symptoms, including their temperature and, hopefully, their oxygen concentration using a pulse oximeter device. They are also told to hydrate, move around and wait to see what will happen to them over the following 10 days. If they develop a fever, they are to take acetaminophen (Panadol/Cetamol), restand if symptoms become worse or if the pulse oximeter shows a spO2 below 95 per cent, they are to go to an emergency room immediately.

Having to wait and see what unfolds during a COVID-19 infection is always worrying, especially when someone has one or several pre-existing conditions. Because of my history of asthma, my spO2 falls to 88 per cent whenever I get a regular ‘chest cold’; so, the diagnosis of COVID-19 made my 10-day wait-and-seepure torture. The chilling image of possible suffering and a terrible death dominated my thoughts. This situation always leaves you feeling extremely vulnerable and totally helpless. Ivermectin is believed to prevent COVID-19 infection in some people, make the disease asymptomatic or reduce symptoms and shorten the course of serious illness in others.

Misinformation and misrepresented statistics have promoted scaremongering and a preponderance of vaccine resistance. But, even if everyone were vaccinated, it will take several years to achieve the degree of herd immunity needed to protect us all. In the interim, people are suffering and dying from this pandemic … conceivably needlessly.

I know that, already, individuals are sourcing Ivermectin and that a black-market/knock-off trade is possibly about to emerge. The Government should formalise its importation so that physicians may prescribe it to COVID-19 patients as they see fit. As long as there is any possibility that a safe and inexpensive drug, like Ivermectin, might be effective in helping us, we deserve a fighting chance.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com .