COVID-19 drugs: A necessary strategy for living with COVID-19 in the new normal and the mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 such as omicron variant

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly and caused significant damage to global public health as well as the economy. While the race of vaccine developmentICLE witnessed a spectacular breakthrough with the introduction of highly effective vaccines such as BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or AZD1222, no specific drug for COVID-19 treatment has been discovered yet. Recently, repurposing drugs classified into three main groups of mechanisms, including antivirus, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and immunomodulators, are investigated. As a result, Remdesivir and six other drugs are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2. This work aims to highlight that, besides vaccines, COVID-19 drugs should get more attention and be considered as one of the most promising strategies to safely coexist with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the new normal status and for the mutations of the virus, such as the omicron variant. © 2022, Bangladesh Society for Microbiology, Immunology and Advanced Biotechnology. All rights reserved.