Скачать или смотреть The Future of Coronavirus Treatment. Aotearoa Gaming Trust Scholar, Divyashri Thakkar

New antiviral drugs are not only effective against SARS-CoV-2, but are also likely to protect us against future pandemics, which are surely on their way.
Vaccines are a key to ending the pandemic, however, vaccinations alone will not be sufficient. Former epidemics caused by the coronavirus were able to be contained by simple public health measures - however, this seems to no longer be the case for COVID-19. The development of an antiviral may prove to be a promising approach to rapidly target a large population - reducing both morbidity and mortality of infected patients.
The mechanism by which we are attempting to target COVID-19 through an antiviral is via protease inhibition. The virus, SARS-CoV-2, hijacks host cellular machinery to replicate and create one large protein that contains all of the viral machinery. However, this protein must be chopped by a protease into functional pieces for the virus to reinfect other cells. Preliminary research has shown that the protease which chops up the virus is the same protease required to activate epithelial sodium channels. These channels are integral to maintaining fluid homeostasis within the lung and their dysfunction leads to challenges such as pulmonary oedema - causing death by drowning. Therefore, by creating a drug targeting this mechanism and inhibiting the competition between SARS-CoV-2 and sodium channels for activation, we can reduce COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality.
Not only will the development of such a drug help decrease the global burden of COVID-19, but it will address the equity issues we have faced with vaccine development and administration. Despite vaccines being developed and distributed to combat COVID-19, countries with lower socioeconomic backgrounds have been left behind. Creating a new drug in the form of a pill makes treatment for this disease more accessible and thus equitable globally. They can be taken at home at the earliest signs of COVID as opposed to finding a nearby hospital or clinic which vaccine availability. Reducing travel to and from a hospital or clinic also reduces transmissibility of the virus.
By understanding the mechanism of action by which viruses work, we not only address this current pandemic, but also future pandemics to come. With treatment options that are more accessible and have a longer life-span, our population can be more prepared for when a tragedy such as this strikes again.