The primary objective of the current study was to explore the adoption of different coping strategies among survivors of acid violence in Pakistan. The data were collected from survivors of acid violence till saturation point was reached with the help of four key informants through a semi-structured interview guide from March, 2019 to June, 2019. Survivors who have lived with at least six months of acid violence were included in the current study. The researchers faced difficulty in recruitment of survivors as survivors usually choose to remain anonymous due to the social stigma attached with acid violence widespread in the society. Ethical considerations were also taken into account. The data were transcribed and in analysis the emerged themes were then classified into different coping strategies in the existing body of knowledge. The researchers used descriptive phenomenology to explain the lived experiences of survivors of acid violence. The patriarchy theory served as the theoretical foundation for the current study. The survivors of acid violence used coping strategies according to their abilities and availability. The victims of acid violence adopted the problem-focused coping strategies such as support seeking (e.g., talking to family and friends, appreciation and support of children), cognitive decision-making (e.g., accepting a new identity, busy routine, confidence), direct problem solving, (e.g., covering with a scarf, avoiding sun exposure), and avoidant action (e.g., limited social interaction). In addition, they used emotion-focused coping (such as cringing in loneliness, yelling at others, withholding feelings) and religious-spiritual coping (such as asking for forgiveness, offering prayers). In revenge, males have disfigured females’ faces and bodies (presumable physical assets) but could not subjugate their resilience and power to survive (psychological assets) even in the oppression of patriarchy. In originality, it was the first study to explore the adoption of coping strategies among the survivors of acid violence in Pakistan.

Antiviral pills are oral medications that treat infections through the inhibition of the viral growth and replication cycle. Paxlovid by Pfizer and Molnupiravir by Merck are the two pills effective for high-risk SARS-CoV-2 patients. Paxlovid works by inhibiting the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 using cysteine residues in-vitro. These cysteine residues inhibit the main protease of the virus by functioning as reversible covalent inhibitors. Molnupiravir works by introducing a high rate of mutations in the viral RNA causing the virus to become biologically unstable and non-functional. Both antiviral drugs can bridge the gap in the preparedness for viral outbreaks in low-income countries like Pakistan by mitigating the chances of fatality and inpatient treatment in high-risk, unvaccinated individuals. Pakistan has been plagued by various epidemics over the years however SARS-CoV-2 outbreak caused many deaths along with an economic crisis. The country lacks the resources to endure high inpatient treatment rates in case of SARS-CoV-2 infections, which is why the need for antiviral pills like Paxlovid and Molnupiravir is empirical to overcome epidemics and viral outbreaks. This work outlines the antiviral pills and their efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 with a focus on how these drugs can overcome significant gaps in epidemic preparedness and response in Pakistan. We aim to highlight how antiviral pills against SARS-CoV-2 can ensure resilience to future epidemic threats in Pakistan.