Researchers from Georgia State University discovered that an orally administered antiviral can block coronavirus transmission in ferrets in just 24 hours.
Vaccinations against the novel coronavirus are about to start in the US and Europe, with UK regulators having already approved the Pfizer/BioNTech drug for public use. The FDA will review the same vaccine as well as the Moderna candidate in the coming days, and will likely issue Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for both. The two drugs use the same RNA technology to deliver the payload and teach the immune system to create proteins and white blood cells that will fight the actual SARS-CoV-2 virus in the event of an infection. Both drugs are around 95% effective at preventing severe illness, and they were found to be safe for use. But people who will choose to get vaccinated will have to be aware of three important details about vaccines. First, COVID-19 immunity following vaccination kicks in at least a week after the second shot, which is more than a month after the first shot. Second, vaccines might not block an actual infection with SARS-CoV-2, so vaccinated people might still be able to spread the illness. That’s why face mask use will still be required. And third, these vaccines can’t be used to treat an existing infection. Vaccines alone can’t deliver an immediate end to the pandemic. The world also needs better therapies that can reduce the risk of complications and death. COVID-19 isn’t likely to be eradicated, so we might have to deal with the infectious illness for years to come, just like the flu. Now, doctors involved in COVID-19 cure research from Georgia State University think they have a great candidate to help accomplish that goal: an antiviral administered orally might block a person from spreading COVID-19 in just 24 hours.
