Emerging Prevention and Treatment Strategies to Control COVID-19

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has now become a serious global threat after inflicting more than 8 million infections and 425,000 deaths in less than 6 months. Currently, no definitive treatment or prevention therapy exists for COVID-19. The unprecedented rise of this pandemic has rapidly fueled research efforts to discover and develop new vaccines and treatment strategies against this novel coronavirus. While hundreds of vaccines/therapeutics are still in the preclinical or early stage of clinical development, a few of them have shown promising results in controlling the infection. Here, in this review, we discuss the promising vaccines and treatment options for COVID-19, their challenges, and potential alternative strategies.

From SARS and MERS to COVID-19: a brief summary and comparison of severe acute respiratory infections caused by three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses

“…The periodical emergence of highly pathogenic hCoV has been sustainably posing heavy burden and threat to humans. Though some drugs were thought to be promising candidates for COVID-19 therapy, they were experimentally labeled as inefficient because of lacking therapeutic effects with statistical importance or reasonably satisfactory clinical outcomes [159], thus, approval medicines remain absent so far, and vaccines either. What should bear in mind is that MERS-CoV remains circulates [13] and the number of SARS-CoV-2 infected cases and deaths continues climbing quickly and the fast spread of SARS-CoV-2 attributed infodemic has been causing unnecessary panic globally.…”

Update on the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 in pediatric patients

“…The pharmacological treatment of COVID-19 includes pathogen-targeted drugs (antivirals, convalescent plasma) and host-directed therapies (anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents) ( 42 ).…”

Efficacy of human coronavirus immune convalescent plasma for the treatment of corona virus disease -19 disease in hospitalized children

“…[ 18 – 22 ] With the spread of COVID-19, for severe and critical cases, in addition to symptomatic treatment, respiratory support, and circulatory support, CP treatment is also an important treatment measure to save patients. [ 23 – 26 ] This plan will evaluate whether the human coronavirus immune CP is effective and safe for the treatment of COVID-19 in children and provide more accurate and objective evidence for the clinic.…”