The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday updated the criteria for discharging people from isolation and announced that the oral antiviral drug molnupiravir was granted a special import permit by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
CECC specialist advisory panel convener Chang Shan-chwen (張上淳) said that the panel regularly reviews COVID-19 treatment guidelines and recommends changes to the center.
The existing discharge criteria are stricter because they addressed the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, but the panel decided to formulate general criteria applicable to all SARS-CoV-2 variants, he said.
Photo: Reuters
Chang said that people who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms can end isolation and return home to practice seven days of self-health management if they meet one of two sets of criteria and satisfy three conditions:
The first set of criteria are no fever for at least one day or lessened symptoms, at least 10 days have passed since their onset (or from the testing date if asymptomatic), and a negative test result — or cycle threshold (Ct) values of 30 or more on two reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for SARS-CoV-2 at least 24 hours apart.
The second set of criteria are a Ct value of 30 or more when first diagnosed with COVID-19.
The conditions are no symptoms related to COVID-19 (or the symptoms are related to another disease); a positive result for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein; and Ct values of 30 or more on two RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 conducted on two respiratory specimens.
The first respiratory specimen should be collected within two days of the COVID-19 diagnosis, while the second specimen should be collected at least 24 hours apart from the first, Chang said.
Hospitals can discharge patients who meet the requirements for ending isolation after obtaining approval from the local health department, but they do not need approval from a commander in the Centers for Disease Controls’ Communicable Disease Control Medical Network, he said.
The revised discharge criteria can help hospital personnel reserve capacity for people more in need of treatment, he added.
Chang said that on Saturday, an FDA specialists meeting granted a special import permit to US drugmaker Merck’s Taiwan branch for molnupiravir, an oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
Molnupiravir can be taken within five days of the onset of symptoms by adult patients with high risk factors, he added.
In people aged 60 or older, or those with diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease, serious heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or active cancer, molnupiravir has been shown to keep a mild-to-medium illness from worsening into a severe illness or even death, he said.
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