Fig.1. A: HRCT of the lung 5th day after
coronavirus exposure, and B: HRCT of the lung on the
10th day after coronavirus exposure.
Different strategies to covid-19 management can be divided into 5
categories consist of pre-exposure prophylaxis, post-exposure
prophylaxis, treatment in the outpatient setting, treatment of
hospitalized patients admitted to hospital wards, and treatment of
patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU)
[4]. Although, several vaccines have
been approved and are available around the world in order to prevent
COVID-19 infection, accessibility and affordability of all people and
nations around the world to the COVID-19 vaccine would be challenging.
After the occurrence of COVID-19 infection, early patient monitoring and
initiation of suitable therapy based on the stages of disease would be
essential. During the coronavirus replication phase, early initiation of
antiviral agents including remdesivir in the inpatient settings would be
helpful. After COVID-19 progression to the inflammatory phase that can
result in lung infiltration, prompt initiation of anti-inflammatory
agents including oral or intravenous corticosteroids would be lifesaving
in order to prevent overall lung involvement and progression to
respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
So, according to the pathophysiology of COVID-19 infection and my
personal experience during COVID-19 infection, I want to emphasize the
necessity of early initiation of anti-inflammatory agents including
corticosteroids [5] and colchicine
[6] in high-risk patients with
mild-to-moderate COVID-19 pneumonia who shows respiratory system
involvement, in order to prevent progression to the severe and critical
stages of this disease.