Should Self-Isolation COVID-19 Patients Get Antivirals?

JAKARTA - COVID-19 survivor Mardiana Makmun, revealed her experience in self-isolation when infected with COVID-19. She was confirmed positive for COVID-19 on January 26, 2021, from the family cluster.

In fact, she said, six days before the PCR swab test she had an antigen test and the results were negative. However, one day after he developed symptoms of sneezing, the next day he felt a headache, and two days later he could not smell faint or anosmia.

"So, finally the PCR test and the next day the results were positive. When it was positive at first it was normal, which is unusual because you can't go anywhere. You can't go to a food stall to buy groceries, while at home there is no helper, but if you force yourself to go out, feel sorry for others even though If we wear masks, there is a risk of infection," said Mardiana in an online discussion entitled "self-isolation Experience: Do You Need Antivirus?", Saturday, July 31.

Due to limited activities, she continued, Mardiana was forced to report to the RT in the hope of getting food supplies.

While suffering from COVID-19, Nana, as she is known, admitted to having severe symptoms for only one week. Includes headaches, sneezing without shortness of breath. Although she has a history of asthma.

"Alhamdulillah, I don't have shortness of breath and my asthma doesn't relapse. During that time, I'm just doing my normal activities, I'm still cooking, I'm still working at home to be happy," she said.

Because at that time the principle of COVID-19 was a virus, explained Nana, so she felt that she didn't need an antivirus. Only rely on the body's immunity from feeling happy and healthy foods, such as vegetables and fruits.

"As long as you are sick, you only take cold medicine at the shop. If you have enough vitamin consumption, there is a B complex, vitamin ABC, which is added only zinc. So you only rely on supplements," she explained.

"Food 5 times a day. Because fruit and vegetable protein is enough. So 5 times a day from 7 o'clock, 10 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 6 pm every consumption there is always protein and fruit," said Nana.

So, is it true that COVID-19 doesn't need an antivirus?

CEO of Pharmacare Consulting, Julian Afferino, said the human immune system is unique. So that when exposed to COVID-19, there are those who experience severe symptoms and there are also those who have absolutely no or mild symptoms.

"Of course this is related to the immune system. Many factors influence, such as lifestyle, food consumption so that it produces an antibody response that is sufficient to neutralize the COVID-19 virus," said Julian on the same occasion.

"But, there are also people with inadequate antibody responses to the COVID-19 virus, so they experience severe symptoms, and they are not the same for everyone. Therefore we need laboratory parameters," he continued.

Then, where is the danger of COVID-19 while the virus with soapy water can die, or is it vicious when it infects humans?

Julian explained that COVID-19 is a linoleic acid molecule that is quite simple and not very strong. The reason, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is exposed to antiseptic alone can die.

"But he has an extraordinary ability when he experiences mutations that cause the speed of infection to double, so that the ability of the immune system to follow the speed of viral replication. As a result of inflammation," said Julian.

However, most cases fail to cope with the inflammation caused by the infection. Thus, the immune system is not aggressive, causing a cytokine storm.

"As a result of the immune response, people sometimes over-respond to COVID-19, but there is a moderate response. When cytokines are excessive, they will worsen body systems such as the kidneys, lungs, causing a cytokine storm," he explained.

The factors that exacerbate the infection, said Julian, are mostly determined by genetic factors. "For example, in cases of allergies, when someone eats seafood or seafood, he or she has an extraordinary allergy immediately, but there are also people who eat the same food but do not experience any symptoms. So it depends on genetics," he explained.

As for the comorbid attack, then laboratory parameters are needed, namely examination of blood tests. So you need an antivirus to protect your immune system.

"To produce antibodies, of course, we must be healthy based on existing parameters. Low lymphocytes when infected with COVID-19, the virus replicates quickly so that the lymphocytes or defense cells can drop quickly. There are those that threaten the immune system, namely bacteria, so there is an antiviral needed to deal with COVID-19," he said. 19 this," he explained.

Therefore, said Julian, for the use of antivirus, must be based on certain parameters. However, due to the current pandemic conditions, it is difficult to check one by one, so we use symptom parameters.

"So many take the wrong medicine. Actually, we don't need antibiotics but because we are afraid, we use antibiotics (to protect ourselves, ed)," he said.

However, he added, antibiotics were used at the hospital because they were beaten flat because there was limited handling. Meanwhile, mild symptoms of self-isolation already have their own antibody protection.

"The severe symptoms of using antibiotics are due to laboratory parameters that carry out complete blood tests," said Julian.