Pandemic

The entire world is facing a worst situation of pandemic ever. It’s been more than 18 months after the initial reports on Covid from China, and the pandemic is still going.  As per the data available over the WHO website as of 23 June 2021, there have been 178,837,204 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 3,880,450 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 21 June 2021, a total of 2,414,347,324 vaccine doses have been administered. Despite of having more than 15 vaccines for Covid-19; the challenge to treat a patient with a define line of treatment remains the same. In the present review we have made an attempt to summarize the various medicines which are being used by medical practitioner in India and overseas. Use of different drug molecules like Remdesivir, Tocilzumab, Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycine, Ivermectin, Steroids, Doxicycline, Ecosprine, Low molecular weight Heparin, Lopinavir and Ritonavir, Nitazoxanide, Baricitinib etc. were highlighted; although the list is long. A focus is made on the different types of vaccines available till date and their status in various countries.

Beginning of the new decade was highlighted with the global outbreak of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). It is a kind of viral pneumonia which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new strain of Coronavirus. This outbreak of pneumonia with unknown etiology was thought to have originated from the Huanan seafood market and was reported firstly at Wuhan, in China. On 31st January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that COVID-19 was listed as the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).The virus was named as COVID-19 on 11th February, 2020 by WHO. As it has affected the whole world, it was declared as global pandemic by WHO. SARS-CoV-2 is the betacoronavirus with presence of different proteins which helps in attachment, penetration, biosynthesis, maturation and release of newly synthesized virion particles in the host body and infect the host. COVID-19 is contagious and primarily spreads through the respiratory tract, by droplets, respiratory secretions, and direct contact. As no vaccine or drug molecule are available yet, breaking the chain, enhancing an individual's body immunity, identifying the infection early and timely medical care are the best ways to prevent COVID-19 infection. Along with Allopathy medicines, Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy medicines are used as add-ons to treat the disease. Thus, taking into consideration this global threat this review focuses on origin, morphology of SARS-CoV-2, pathogenesis, role of Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy and Allopathy in treatment of COVID-19 and the current scenario of vaccines against COVID-19.