As New Zealand rolls out its vaccine program for COVID-19 it must be appreciated that, as in other parts of the world, it is not the silver bullet to return to our lives pre-Covid. What we must urgently address is the need to actually treat COVID-19 in its early stages of infection, before patients end up critical in ICU.
Well-read elocal readers will know that ivermectin that is an FDA-approved drug that has shown significantly positive results in clinical trials overseas as a treatment for COVID-19. With this in mind, elocal asked the Ministry of Health the following in early January:
Could you please supply information regarding the current prophylaxis & early outpatient treatment protocol for COVID-19 in New Zealand? In these two areas what are the protocols and what treatments are being prescribed, both at the borders or identified community cases?
We received this response.
Currently there is no specific treatment for COVID-19. Supportive measures such as fluids, anti-fever medication, bed rest are used for those with mild infection. Other therapeutic agents for those admitted to hospital with more serious disease are used on a case by case basis and determined by the specialist looking after the case. These might include oxygen, steroid medication, or antiviral agents. Most people recover completely and without the need for hospitalisation.
There are no known specific prophylactic agents for COVID-19 however there are measures you can take to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. More information is available on the Ministry of Health website.
Clearly, we need to be asking more questions of our Government, to make sure they are aware of all the latest scientific developments. Ivermectin is cheap, effective drug with a low side effect profile, that has won a Nobel prize for its use an antiparasitic and antiviral agent. Over the previous year, research has found this drug, along with supplements such vitamin D and zinc, to be a life-saving ‘wonder drug’ in the fight against COVID, now approved by health agencies from South Africa to Slovakia, even by the NIH in the United States.
In this issue, we give elocal readers the opportunity to hear frontline physician and researcher Dr. Pierre Kory of the FLCCC Alliance share his thoughts on the therapeutic value of ivermectin in treatment of COVID.
Hopefully, our own Ministry of Health will take a listen too.