Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine in the Era of COVID-19: A Mini-Review

Abstract

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has severely affected global health, and caused a significant health burden worldwide in all, the patients, and healthy people. Globally, 17 August 2021, there have been 207,784,507 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 4,370,424 deaths reported to WHO. As of 16 August 2021, a total of 4,462,336,040 vaccine doses have been administered. Many risk factors, such as older adults, people with medical conditions and pregnant people and recently pregnant people are at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared to non-pregnant people. CQ and HCQ also used in the management of rheumatism, joint inflammation, systemic lupus and showed positive and promising results in the primary research for COVID-19 management but, it’s still confusing whether to use them in patients infected with COVID-19 or it is better to avoid them. Although these drugs, chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), which have been tried for the treatment of this disease, COVID-19 vaccines can help end the pandemic. In this review we aim to evaluate the evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of CQ and HCQ used against viral infection caused by COVID-19. Our hope is to shed light on CQ and HCQ as a management modality in the era of COVID-19. We can’t do without drug therapy as a mainstream till antiviral agents and effective vaccines would be available.