Ivermectin Could Represents Breakthrough in Fight Against COVID-19

Australian researchers find a possible asset in the fight against coronavirus by using Ivermectin, a drug that is capable of killing the disease in 48 hours.

Ivermectin vs. Coronavirus 

Ivermectin isn’t a new drug – it’s been around for decades, mainly prescribed to treat head lice, scabies, and other infections caused by parasites. It was introduced in the 1970s as a veterinary drug, but Australian researchers have discovered that it could also fight the coronavirus. 

A report in the journal Antiviral Research revealed laboratory test results, in which researchers infected cells with SARS-CoV-2, then exposed them to Ivermectin. A single dose killed the disease in roughly 48 hours, with a “significant reduction” just 24 hours in, study leader Kylie Wagstaff stated. 

This, however, isn’t confirmation that Ivermectin annihilates the virus in humans, as more testing will be needed to determine how well it would work in people and how safe it is to actually use. 

Other studies have also shown the drug to work quite well against dengue fever and infections similar to the coronavirus, due to Ivermectin targeting a “key molecule of our cells that we think helps the virus to proliferate,” study co-author David Jans, Ph.D., said. 

The good news is that if Ivermectin proves useful in countering COVID-19, it’s a great option in dealing with the virus globally, as it is a drug that’s “safe at relatively high doses, widely available, and relatively cheap, too,” Jans says. All that’s left to do is to determine the dosage to fight COVID-19 and begin tests in humans.