True: In an attempt to combat COVID-19, Goa recommends Ivermectin to individuals over 18 years.

By: Ishita Goel
August 4 2021

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After Vishwajit Rane announced using the anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin as a "prophylaxis treatment," WHO warned against using the drug for COVID-19. On May 10, 2021, Vishwajit Rane, Goa's health minister, suggested people in Goa start an Ivermectin course of 12mg for five days. This medical recommendation applied to anyone over 18, irrespective of their condition or prevailing COVID-19 symptoms. Rane said that to combat COVID-19, the state decided to start the "prophylaxis treatment." However, according to the official World Health Organization COVID-19 guidelines, the anti-parasitic drug is ineffective in treating the virus. In a series of tweets, Rane stated that the government's decision was based on "expert panels from the U.K., Italy, Spain, and Japan." The panel allegedly found that Ivermectin reduced mortality from COVID-19 as well as the time to recovery in COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the treatment could help reduce the severity of the virus. Soumya Swaminathan, the Chief Scientist at WHO, warned against using Ivermectin for COVID-19, "except within clinical trials." Similarly, Merck, a German healthcare company and Ivermectin's manufacturer, stated that there was "no scientific basis for a potential therapeutic effect against COVID-19" from Ivermectin's clinical studies. Other countries, including the U.S., do not approve of using the anti-parasitic drug for COVID-19 in patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19, including symptoms, prevention, and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organization or your national healthcare authority.