'Antibiotics Should Not Be Used Unless...': Centre Issues Revised Guidelines For Covid-19

Issuing revised guidelines for treatment of Covid cases, the Centre advised doctors not to use convalescent plasma therapy.

As India witnesses an uptick in Covid cases, the Centre said antibiotics should not be used for treating adult coronavirus patients unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. Issuing revised guidelines for treatment of Covid cases, the Centre advised doctors not to use convalescent plasma therapy.

Drugs such as Lopinavir-ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, Molnupiravir, Favipiravir, Azithromycin and Doxycycline also should not be used for the treatment of adult Covid-19 patients, the Health Ministry guidelines said.

"Antibiotics should not be used unless there is clinical suspicion of bacterial infection. The possibility of co-infection of COVID-19 with other endemic infections must be considered. Systemic corticosteroids are not indicated in mild disease," the revised guidelines said.

The Health Ministry said Remdesivir may be considered for up to five days (200 mg IV on Day 1 followed by 100 mg IV OD for the next 4 days) in moderate or severe diseases at high risk of progression.

"It should be started within 10 days of onset of symptoms in those having moderate to severe disease with a high risk of progression (requiring supplemental oxygen) but who are not on IMV or ECMO," the guidelines said.

In rapidly progressing moderate or severe disease, Tocilizumab should be considered preferably within 24-48 hours of the onset of severe disease/ICU admission, the guidelines further said.

The Centre also advised people to seek immediate medical attention if there is difficulty breathing, high-grade fever/ severe cough, particularly if lasting for more than five days.

The fresh guidelines come as Covid-19 cases in India touched the 1000 mark on Sunday after 129 days. On Monday, the country reported a single-day rise of 918 cases while the active caseload has increased to 6,350.

The Covid-19 death toll has increased to 5,30,806, with four latest fatalities reported on Monday.

Last week, the Health Ministry wrote to the governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka following a rise in cases in the states and asked them to strictly follow a five-fold strategy of test, track, treat and vaccination.