With inputs from Dr Monica Vasudev

South Korea lifts travel restrictions for Chinese travelers 

Chinese travelers to South Korea will now not be tested for Covid-19 upon their arrival in the country from next month. However, predeparture negative tests will still be mandatory until the 10^th of March. Flights from China will be allowed to land at other airports other than the designated airport at present…(Source: Reuters, Feb. 22, 2023)

India Covid-19 situation

There were 193 new cases with one death reported as per latest data from the Health Ministry on Thursday. The active cases have climbed up to 2000. The national recovery rate is 98.81%. The total number of cases stand at 4.46 crores. The case fatality rate is 1.19%. So far, 220.63 crore vaccine doses have been administered…(Source: Times of India, Feb. 23, 2024).

Beneficial effects of metformin in Covid patients

Analysis of the phase 3 COVID-OUT trial has shown 4.4-fold reduction in SARS-CoV-2 viral load with metformin as early as day 5 of treatment. ER visits, hospital admissions and mortality declined by 42% after 2 weeks; deaths and re-hospitalizations decreased by 58% by day 28. The incidence of long Covid reduced by 42%...(Source: Medscape, Feb. 21, 2023).

Effects of remdesivir in hospitalized Covid patients 

A meta-analysis of more than 10,000 patients reports that patients hospitalized with Covid-19 who did not require oxygen supplementation or needed only conventional oxygen support benefitted the most from remdesivir. Treatment with remdesivir caused 20 fewer deaths per 1000 patients within 28 days of hospitalization… (Source: The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Feb. 21, 2023).

Study links relaxation of Covid restrictions to increase in asthma exacerbations

Exacerbations of asthma and non-Covid acute respiratory infections increased in tandem with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions from April 2021, which led to reduced mask wearing and increase in indoor public gatherings according to results of the COVIDENCE UK study. Though mask wearing increased after the emergence of the Omicron variant from December 2021 to January 2022…(Source: Thorax, Nov. 23, 2022).