Molnupiravir for sale at a drugstore in Hanoi. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNS/VNA) – The (MoH) has advised asymptomatic
COVID-19 patients to not use Molnupiravir as part of their treatment.
The
MoH said Molnupiravir should only be used to treat mild to moderate cases in
patients with at least one risk factor for severe disease progression.
The
medicine should only be used by COVID-19 patients with symptoms that have
developed for five days or less, and Molnupiravir should not be used for more
than five days consecutively. In particular, it should not be used for post or
pre-exposure prophylaxis.
The
advice came after local medical units reported that people have been flocking
to buy the medicine to store in advance, or by people with COVID but without
symptoms
The
ministry said that with mild symptoms should use the medicine
when their saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) is higher than 96 percent and
the respiratory rate is less than 20 times per minute.
Those
with moderate symptoms should use the medicine when the SpO2 is at 94-96 percent,
the respiratory rate is 20-25 times per minute, and when an x-ray lung lesion
shows less than 50 percent.
Those
with underlying diseases can also use the medicine, the ministry said.
The
dosage of the medicine is 800mg, two times a day, over five days.
is not recommended for use during pregnancy. Breastfeeding women are told to
not breastfeed while using the medicine and for four days after the last dose
of Molnupiravir.
The
medicine should also not be used on patients under 18 years old, as it
can affect the development of bones and cartilage.
Molnupiravir
can affect sperm in men, therefore, a reliable method of contraception should
be used during treatment and for at least three months after the last dose of
Molnupiravir./.
Source: VietnamPlus
