Hydroxychloroquine: Gov. Cuomo Restricts Drug Use to Hospitalizations
By Anjali Etwaru
LONG ISLAND, NY — Residents of New York are left speechless after new drug for COVID-19 is restricted to those only hospitalized, and I understand why.
After the recent approval of the drug hydroxychloroquine by the FDA, Gov. Cuomo restricted the use of the drug to those hospitalized with a positive test for the coronavirus. New Yorkers who have tested positive for the coronavirus with mild symptoms, argue the drug is not available unless their symptoms increase to life-threatening. They argue why wait for the symptoms to worsen to be eligible for the hospital, instead of taking the drug early on to avoid being hospitalized.
Given, not every COVID-19 patient needs medical attention, but there are cases where symptoms of the virus worsen as time progresses. Generally, depending on a person’s age and medical conditions, symptoms and the severity of symptoms will vary.
My grandparents, Savitri Shivdat, 75, and Narine Shivdat, 77, tested positive for the coronavirus.
“I knew I was sick but didn’t go and get tested because there was nothing, anyone could do for me,” Savitri Shivdat said. She explained she knew she had the coronavirus because she had previously been exposed.
Savitri and Narine Shivdat didn’t initially get tested because they felt the only reason to test was to acquire the hydroxychloroquine. This drug is only available if admitted in a hospital, but they knew their symptoms were not severe enough to be admitted.
In the beginning, the symptoms were mild including a dry cough and fever. Over the following days, Savitri Shivdat was experiencing shortness of breath and extreme body aches and this is when she knew she needed to get medical attention.
Once she was admitted into the hospital, she received a COVID-19 test and chest x-ray which showed she had viral pneumonia in both of her lungs. Her test came back positive.
“You never think something like this would happen to your family,” Kareshma Puglisi said, Savitri Shivdat’s daughter.
Puglisi mentioned her oxygen levels were so low, she was scared she’d never see her mom again.
Once Savitri Shivdat was admitted, the doctors immediately started her on hydroxychloroquine. She was in the hospital for eight nights, with no one allowed to visit.
The following day, Narine Shivdat began experiencing extreme shortness of breath and was rushed to the same hospital. He was admitted and his chest x-ray showed no sign of pneumonia in the lungs. His COVID-19 test assumingely came back positive as well.
“I was given the hydroxychloroquine, by the second day I was ready to go home,” Narine Shivdat said. He was in the hospital only two nights, Savitri’s symptoms were much more severe.
They were both given the hydroxychloroquine for five days, and Narine Shivdat made a full recovery. Savitri Shivdat is currently still receiving oxygen at home for a couple more weeks.
“If they were prescribed the hydroxychloroquine once the test came back positive,” Puglisi said, “they wouldn’t be in this situation.” She mentioned it was a hard time and we were blessed, but there are other families who haven’t been so fortunate.
The reasoning behind Gov. Cuomo’s decision to restrict the use of this drug was understandable because it is the same medicine used to treat malaria, lupus, and arthritis.
Although Gov. Cuomo was being mindful of people with those diseases, the production of this drug is incomparable to any other right now.
Even with the numerous studies across the globe showing this drug to be ineffective for treating COVID-19 patients, it is still in high demand.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did state the drug was in shortage for some time, but manufacturing companies have been ramping up on the product.
The pharmaceutical company, Sandoz, has donated 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to the donation from Sandoz, there are other pharmaceutical companies who also donated millions of doses.
According to the FDA, these donations are expected to ease the shortage
Gov. Cuomo did have an understanding argument in restricting the use of the drug, but to many New Yorkers, the drug was most needed in New York than anywhere else.
New York was the hotspot for this virus and managed to have more cases than any other state. New York currently has more cases that any other country alone.
“The statistics show that New York needs that drug more than anyone right now,” Puglisi said. Making people wait until they have life-threatening symptoms to receive the medical attention they need is not right.
If the drug is available to more people at an earlier stage of the virus, more lives will be saved. Hospitals will be less full, and fewer people will need to be hospitalized just to receive the drug.
The robust manufacturing of the drug by numerous pharmaceutical companies will ensure there will be no shortage for those in need of the medication.
