Pol.Gen. Aswin Kwanmuang, Governor of Bangkok, chaired the meeting discussing guidelines for administration of Favipiravir, an antiviral medication, for patients infected with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the area of Bangkok Metropolis. The meeting participated by executives of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and medical experts from both public and private sectors.
At present, the situation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the area of Bangkok Metropolis is the extraordinary situation where more stringent measures and practices are needed. With the concern about the current outbreak situation, the BMA has prepared more than 600,000 Favipiravir tablets for people living in the area of Bangkok Metropolis, especially those who live in risk areas.
The meeting discussed guidelines to effectively administer Favipiravir for the utmost benefit of the people and agreed that the Ministry of Public Health’s guidelines for treatment and caring of COVID-19 patients was the main guidelines that must be followed. However, the BMA would determine additional measure. COVID-19 patients, who are in the “green” category, or who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms without any risk factors enable them to have severe symptoms, will receive Favipiravir to reduce the chance for potentially disease severity. Only some of the green COVID-19 patients will receive a Favipiravir treatment. They must be in the evaluation criteria of the BMA doctors, for example, patients must have higher amount of virus in their body than other people and be at risk of being in advanced stage. It is believed that if these patients receive medication at the early stage and have been treated continuously for 5-10 days, they will not become patients who are in the “yellow” or “red” category in the future. However, the most important thing is that the green COVID-19 patients must give their consent for treatment.
Regarding this matter, the BMA will conduct medical treatment under close supervision of doctors, with the reasonable use of medications and monitoring and evaluation system. If it is found that the treatment determined by the BMA yields positive result that is beneficial for the patients, it can be added in the national guidelines for treatment and caring of COVID-19 patients in the future.
