The established Hydroxychloroquine treatment that has saved many thousands of patients is to give it early; within three days of presentation of symptoms and a positive test. All antivirals work best when given early. Once patients are in ICUs/on ventilators, the cytokine storm has already started and it is too late for HCQ to be effective. HCQ must be accompanied by zinc (an ionophore) and azithromycin (an antibiotic) to prevent co-infections. Any trial that does not include zinc including timing, measuring/controlling zinc serum levels is garbage!
Those with contraindications (primarily on coronary/pulmonary medication), should not be treated with HCQ and be included with those refusing HCQ in the control group.
UK trials under the "Prevent" programme prescribed a toxic dose of HCQ and no zinc. They also treated patients already in intensive care. That is why they killed patients.
Early in the pandemic it was noted that people with Lupus who were receiving HCQ did not contract SARS CoV 2.
With a growing body of evidence supporting the clinical effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine against COVID-19, it is helpful to explore how it actually works. Hydroxychloroquine is believed to have a dual mechanism of action against COVID-19 and potentially a third immunomodulating effect.
No. 1: Hydroxychloroquine raises the pH level of endosomes, membrane-bound structures within cells through which viruses can enter the human body. Raising the pH likely disrupts the ability of COVID-19 to enter human cells.
No. 2: Hydroxychloroquine increases the intracellular concentration of zinc.13-15 Zinc blocks the viral replication of coronavirus, so the combination of hydroxychloroquine and zinc can help stop the virus from growing within cells.
No. 3: Hydroxychloroquine is a known immunomodulator. As the infection from COVID-19 progresses and becomes more severe, one of the deadliest possible consequences is a cytokine storm that induces severe inflammation. Cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and Interferon gamma have all been implicated in multisystem organ failure, including cardiac and renal failure and coagulopathy, in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Data in the literature suggest that hydroxychloroquine may help to regulate these cytokines and prevent the cytokine storm.
Understanding the basic science on how hydroxychloroquine works in COVID-19 provides compelling support on why this medication should be considered for both prophylaxis and treatment.
For those interested, the successful treatment is: -
1. Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg twice a day for 5 days
2. Azithromycin 500 mg once a day for 5 days
3. Zinc sulphate 220 mg once a day for 5 days
The distinct failures of the WHO are increasing.
1. The WHO characterised COVID-19 as like SARS or MERS when clearly, it is not.
2. The WHO has failed to mandate supplementation with vitamin D despite a 2017 study of 23 countries, published in the Lancet, demonstrated that the majority of people are deficient in this essential hormone that is known to support the immune system and in particular act against lung infections. People with black and darker skin living in northern latitudes are more likely to be deficient than people with white skin. The SARS COV 2 virus manifested itself during winter when levels are low because of a lack of sunshine
3. “The systematic failure of critical care systems to adopt corticosteroid therapy resulted from the published recommendations against corticosteroids use by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and “Prevention (CDC), and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) amongst others. A very recent publication by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and authored one of the members of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care (FLCCC) group (UM), identified the errors made by these organizations in their analyses of corticosteroid studies based on the findings of the SARS and H1N1 pandemics. Their erroneous recommendation to avoid corticosteroids in the treatment of COVID- 19 has led to the development of myriad organ failures which have overwhelmed critical care systems across the world." - Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA May 2020.
“It is important to recognize that “COVID-19 pneumonia” does not cause ARDS. The initial phase of “oxygenation failure” is characterized by normal lung compliance, with poor recruit ability and near normal lung water (as measured by transpulmonary thermodilution). This is the “L phenotype” as reported by Gattonini and colleagues. Treating these patients with early intubation and the ARDNSnet treatment protocol will cause the disease you are trying to prevent i.e. ARDS.”
4. WHO’s confusing guidance on masks: -
blogs.bmj.com/.../
5 Jun 2020 - UK Government rules fall short of new global guidance for public to wear three-layer mask.
11 July - Updated World Health Organization (WHO) advice says non-medical face coverings should be worn in public where social distancing is not possible.