More Things We Ought To Know about Covid-19

“Since we are running short of this magic drug, now is NOT the time to get COVID-19.”

Almost 2 years have passed, and we are still having problems with the Coronavirus disease (Covid). Perhaps now (and everyday) would be he best time to let the people know other facets of this viral disease so we can have a better grasp of the situation and realize that following the protocol and getting vaccinated are our best defenses and answers to end this pandemic.

One thing sure is the fact that the Covid virus has no brains, yet, it is able to identify and target man’s vital organs. It could cause damage to our vital organs making the treatment quite tricky especially for patients who are hospitalized and are unvaccinated.

Covid can also infect our heart causing myocarditis and heart attack which could lead to sudden death.

The virus can also cause a hypercoagulable state causing blood clots and stroke.

Covid can damage our kidneys, too, leading to the organs’ shutting down where patients need to undergo dialysis.

The virus that causes Covid can trick our immune system causing the latter to go haywire that would lead to a situation known as a cytokine storm,

What is a cytokine storm?

A cytokine storm is one of the many “talents” of this virus. It is characterized by dysregulated hyperimmune response against the invading virus.

A cytokine storm will not only destroy the invading virus; it will also destroy our body especially the lungs that would cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

 ARDS is a life-threatening condition that carries a state of mortality worse than being in the “fifty-fifty” situation .

To understand it easier, may I present to you this simile (analogy): A cytokine storm is like sending a battalion of Army and Air Force soldiers (instead of just a barangay tanod) to pacify an irate and quarreling neighbor. With this, you can vividly imagine the collateral damage that will happen as a result of the situation.

And the most important drug that can prevent and modulate this cytokine storm is called TOCILIZUMAB.

The clinical trial of TOCILIZUMAB showed that giving the drug to a severe and critically-ill Covid patient (in combination with steroid – dexamethasone and the anti-viral called remdesivir) is associated with remarkable improvement against mortality and shorter hospital stay. The risk of patients being intubated and placed on life support was also reduced.

We can say TOCILIZUMAB is a wonder drug. It is the drug to be used when the patient is getting critical and on the verge of dying.

As a lung specialist, I have seen how this wonder drug worked for my dying Covid patients.

There are times I ask my severe patients: “How are you today compared to your condition yesterday?” 

With a sweet smile cradled by some tears about to fall, they have one common answer: “I thought yesterday was my last day doc! Thanks to you, doc!”

I always tell them back: “You thank God, not me. He is only using me to help you.”

But here lies the rub! TOCILIZUMAB is becoming difficult to find and reports have it that it can be bought at the black market at a staggering price of P100,000 per vial (original price is P30,000 plus). 

A piece of medication worth P100,000 per vial is too much for an ordinary Filipino; and this is the reason some patients would opt for the DNR (do nut resuscitate) because they can’t afford to buy the drug at that price. This is a deplorable state!

Therefore, as we are in a short supply of this magical drug, I say that NOW IS NOT THE TIME to get Covid.

We are having a shortage of TOCILIZUMAB because of rising global demand.

In addition and for the record, people should stop blaming the government for not securing enough supply of this drug. Instead, we should avoid getting sick of Covid in the first place by following the health and safety protocol. Moreover, we should all get vaccinated as soon as we can. And we should and we must be vaccinated!

As they say, prevention is better than cure. Let us not rely on wonder drugs like TOCILIZUMAB to escape from possible death due to Covid. The protocol and the vaccines are better, more affordable and more available ways to prevent death due to Covid.