observed to have a mortality rate of 29.3% versus 41.4% when compared to the standard care group. Among those receiving oxygen without invasive mechanical ventilation a more modest benefit in mortality was observed with 23.3% with dexamethasone plus standard care versus 26.2% with standard care alone. Among patient not requiring supplemental oxygen or respiratory support, no statistically significant difference was noted with dexamethasone. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a devastating global health crisis that has taken almost 2.5 million lives worldwide. However, scientists, physicians, and public health organizations have risen to the challenge. Rigorous studies have demonstrated efficacy of various prevention
and treatment strategies and led to dissemination and uptake. A number of vaccines have been developed and demonstrate remarkable efficacy in preventing disease. Furthermore, there is hope that they protect against viral replication and thus lead to establishment of herd immunity. Also inspiring hope is treatment for COVID-19 which has evolved over time. An early understanding of the escalating progression of disease—from viral response to host inflammatory response— facilitated evaluation of therapeutic modalities. While initial studies of repurposed drugs were largely unsuccessful, later studies of repurposed and novel agents have demonstrated real impact on hospitalization and mortality rates. Science has prepared us to face the challenge of COVID-19 and current and future interventions are promising to halt the pandemic and its global impact.
Figure 1.
Reprinted from J Heart Lung Transplant, 39(5): 405-407, Siddiqi H and Mehra M, COVID-19 illness in native and immunosuppressed states: A clinical–therapeutic staging proposal, p 405-407, May 2020, with permission from Elsevier.
of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the USA: a cross-sectional study. Lancet Digit Health. Published online January 18, 2021. doi:10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30293-4 5. Wang X, Ferro EG, Zhou G, Hashimoto D, Bhatt DL. Association Between Universal Masking in a Health Care System and SARS-CoV-2 Positivity Among Health Care Workers. JAMA. Published online July 14, 2020. doi:10.1001/ jama.2020.12897 6. Hendrix MJ. Absence of Apparent Transmission of SARS- CoV-2 from Two Stylists After Exposure at a Hair Salon with a Universal Face Covering Policy — Springfield, Missouri, May 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69. doi:10.15585/ mmwr.mm6928e2 21
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