Sotrovimab

 Alongside the development of vaccines there has been the development of treatments for COVID-19.  Last year we had remdesivir which inhibits the activity of the virus and reduces recovery time.  The drugs dexamethasone and tocilizumab both work as anti-inflammatories and reduce the overproduction of cytokines, a reaction that can be worse than the disease itself.

 This year we have sotrovimab which is a monoclonal antibody therapy.  These antibodies are not produced by the body but in the laboratory, but they can be introduced into the body to assist in its defence against viruses. Sotrovimab has been used against cancer and arthritis.  Again it reduces hospital time.

 The argument still goes on about the efficacy of  ivermectin. Why people should have invested so much faith in this particular drug is hard to explain, but studies have shown conclusively that it has no effect whatsoever. Nonetheless there are ivermectin crusaders who believe that it is being withheld as some kind of dark plot.