U.S. experts develop treatment guidelines for COVID-19

A panel of U.S. physicians, statisticians, and other experts has developed treatment guidelines for the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a release of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Tuesday.

These guidelines, intended for healthcare providers, are based on published and preliminary data and the clinical expertise of the panelists, many of whom are frontline clinicians caring for patients during the rapidly evolving pandemic, said the release.

The guidelines consider two broad categories of therapies currently in use against the novel coronavirus: antivirals, which may target the coronavirus directly, and host modifiers and immune-based therapies, which may influence the immune response to the virus or target the virus.

The guidelines also describe the evaluation and stratification of patients based on their risk of infection and severity of illness.

Recommendations are offered concerning the use of concomitant medications, including statins, corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and certain drugs used to control high blood pressure, according to the release.

The number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the United States topped 823,000 as of Tuesday night, with over 44,800 deaths, according to data provided by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

(CGTN)