Bhubaneswar: In a remarkable finding on the lessons on the battle against COVID-19, a study conducted by the AIIMS Bhubaneswar has revealed that two-dose of anti-parasite drug Ivermectin reduced chances of the viral infection by a whopping 73%.
Bhubaneswar AIIMS Director Gitanjali Batmanabane said two-dose of Ivermectin prophylaxis within a gap of 72 hours was associated with 73 % reduction of COVID-19 infection among the healthcare workers (HCWs) of the hospital.
The study was conducted between September 20 and October 19 and its findings have given a new dimension to the ongoing research on the behaviour of SARS-CoV-2 and its treatment, said the authorities.
The exercise conducted by 12 physicians of AIIMS-BBSR aimed at exploring the association between Ivermectin prophylaxis and development of COVID-19 infection was conducted on two sets of HCWs. While one group was administered with two doses of Ivermectin in a gap of 72 hours, the other set took another treatment.
"The encouraging results of a study from Egypt prompted us to explore its role as prophylaxis for HCWs. Earlier, at least 20 to 25 HCWs were getting infected with the virus daily but after the workers started taking Ivermectin, the number of infection has come down to one or two per day," said Dr Batmanabane.
The study also estimated that single-dose prophylaxis has no association with the reduction of COVID-19 infection. Majority of the participants (60.75 per cent) were below 30 years of age and nearly two-thirds of participants were men.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)