Re-reading ACT, BCG, and Low COVID-19 in Africa.
SN Compr Clin Med
; 3(1): 11-15, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1033198
ABSTRACT
October 11, 2020, marks the seventh month since the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Unlike other coronavirus diseases, there is a geographically disproportionate distribution of the incidence of COVID-19 cases around the world. We observed a significantly high COVID-19 cases and deaths in countries and territories with no or very small number of malaria cases or no or low national TB cases in 2018. We speculate that the high incidence of COVID-19 cases and deaths in countries less affected by malaria is partly due to overexposure to malaria which led to the regular use of the artemisinin anti-malaria drugs as well as the regular use of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for TB prevention. The vaccine produced an almost life-long immunity to TB and meningitis to its recipients. We are thus calling for a COVID-19 containment and clinical management protocol that will incorporate the use of the anti-malaria ACT drug cocktail and BCG vaccine on compassionate ground.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Vaccines
Language:
English
Journal:
SN Compr Clin Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S42399-020-00704-3
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