When there is a pandemic there is no time to waste: should we have hydroxychloroquine in our armoury against COVID-19 infected patients?
chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, Pandemic, COVID-19
The current use of chloroquine and/or hydroxychloroquine, a drug currently used to treat autoimmune rheumatic diseases, in treating severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) or COVID-19-infected patients with pneumonia is a matter of intense consideration. We wish to enter the ongoing debate as to whether this well-known drug must be given to Greek COVID-19-infected patients, especially those with pneumonia. Our arguments are based on the existing data and the capacity of the Greek health system to afford potent anti-viral treatments, which are under immense investigation. We propose several suggestions related to treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine that we think must be taken into consideration to fit the evolving situation of the pandemic in Greece.
Konstantinos Gourgoulianis, Dimitrios P. Bogdanos, Lazaros I. Sakkas, Epaminondas Zakynthinos, Zoi Daniil