Hi all, Please check out this article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/03/21/how-does-the-covid-19-coronavirus-kill-what-happens-when-you-get-infected/#617b1c826146

It talks about how pneumonia and inflammation is the final step in illness that gets you. Would anti-inflammatory medication reduce the number of problems for individuals and save lives? 

I tried to post on Reddit but I don't have enough Karma.

  NO,  NO,  NO!  

Avoid anti-inflammatories (except vitamin D) like the plague itself!  They are statistically shown to INCREASE the death rate.

No one knows why.  I have a theory that they depress the immune system and the fever.  BOTH are needed to fight this dammed bug.  But that is my theory.

Thanks for telling us! Understood. 

But wait, Technophobe. Would you recommend Vitamin D? 

Yes.  The recommended dose - that's all.  Any more is a waste of money, but the minimum dose, just 25 microgrammes, is clinically proven to regulate the immune response.  It helps the immune system to fight infection and protects the rest of the body from 'friendly fire' - also known as inflammation and in the most extreme cases cytokine storm.

Statistically, even with the dearth of data on this disease, it has improved survival rates.

Thank you Technophobe. I'm glad I found these forums. 

HaevenPsye wrote: Hi all, Please check out this article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/03/21/how-does-the-covid-19-coronavirus-kill-what-happens-when-you-get-infected/#617b1c826146 It talks about how pneumonia and inflammation is the final step in illness that gets you. Would anti-inflammatory medication reduce the number of problems for individuals and save lives?  I tried to post on Reddit but I don't have enough Karma.

Medical science is thinking along these lines, HP! 

I am medical-school trained in virology, immunology etc. and am a practicing public health epidemiologist.  Many of us on this board are familiar with the concept of "cytokine storm," which is an intense immune response we generate when invaded by novel pathogens to which we have limited genetic and immunologic "memory."  This out-of-control immune response was responsible for much of the death during the 1918 pandemic and is pronounced with COVID-19.  

Therefore, scientists are researching if the new drugs used to suppress immune systems to control psoriasis, arthritis and the like have utility to treat COVID-19.  I am personally bullish on the drug Otezla, please see this article:

https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amgen-s-anti-inflammatory-otezla-makes-its-foray-into-covid-19-as-strong-sales-lift-q1 - https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amgen-s-anti-inflammatory-otezla-makes-its-foray-into-covid-19-as-strong-sales-lift-q1

There are many clinical trials underway, and although these drugs will not prevent COVID-19 infection like a vaccine would, these might mitigate some of the extreme damage caused to pulmonary tissue and organs from cytokines like Interluken 7, Tumor Necrosis Factor and the like.  I personally think this is our best hope to reduce mortality in the short term; if I were to become SARS-CoV2 positive, I'd request an off-label prescription of Otezla immediately.  Other drugs being tested include injectable biologics such as Enbrel, Humira etc.