Angeles Cruz Martinez
Newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, February 9, 2022, p. 10
The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) distributed – between March 2020 and September 2021 – first aid kits to people with mild covid-19, in which it included ivermectin and paracetamol, among other medications, just as the city government did from Mexico. The patients also received oximeters, information brochures, and family doctors gave them daily follow-up by telephone.
In a retrospective study on the effect of the measure, which was published on January 24 in the journal Archives of Medical Researchit was identified that only 6.14 percent of the people who received the supplies were hospitalized, against 11.7 percent who did not receive them.
In the case of the IMSS, it was a strategy with several components and ivermectin stopped being given in September -according to official information- when the Ministry of Health (Ssa) updated the clinical management guide for covid-19.
In the article accepted for publication in the scientific journal, the Social Security researchers report that the analysis was carried out between February and May 2021 with 28,048 people, of which 7,898 (28.2 percent) received the first-aid kit and 20,150 (71.8 percent) did not.
They also had data on sex, age, comorbidities, among other risk factors for moderate or severe covid-19. The experts emphasize that the comprehensive care plan for people with outpatient treatment contributes to lower rates of complications, although they recognize that although hospitalization decreases, in terms of mortality, no statistically significant reduction was found.
Regarding the contents of the kit, the brochure provides information on the use of the oximeter, the early identification of symptoms and signs of deterioration.
Regarding medications, they highlight that in addition to ivermectin, paracetamol and aspirin were given to patients, both to control symptoms. Similarly, azithromycin was included. Of the latter, the IMSS indicated that it was suspended when scientific research documented that it had no benefit for covid patients.
The researchers explain that the inclusion of ivermectin and azithromycin was agreed upon by a group of experts from the institute, based on information available in December 2020.
Regarding ivermectin, they point out that during the second wave of the pandemic, in mid-2021, its use was controversial, but there was enough evidence in favor of its effectiveness
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They also acknowledge that the use of this medication remains a matter of debate. He notes that there is only one formally published placebo-controlled study, which concluded with a bias in favor of ivermectin, although there was no statistically significant difference between the placebo and intervention groups
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