New methods are needed for fighting Covid-19, UW Health officials say

MADISON, Wis. — UW Health officials are warning that new treatments must be developed in order to fight the pandemic.

Although current respiratory treatments have been effective in treating patients with Covid-19, UW Health officials warn that more must be done to develop new treatments and focus on methods other than creating a vaccine.

“We have tools that work when people become infected with this virus,” Lynn Schnapp, chair of the Department of Medicine at the UW School of Medicine, said. “As much as it seems everyone is focused on vaccines to prevent the disease – understandably so – we still must treat those who become sick the best ways we can.”

Several new methods for treating Covid-19 are being worked on by UW Health and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, including drugs, antibody cocktails and therapies.

New treatments are needed to speed up the recovery process from Covid-19. Health officials say it is not enough to rely on existing methods.

“COVID-19 is new and we are learning so much so fast, and it will help us develop better ways to make patients healthy, faster,”  David Andes, professor of medicine in the infectious disease division, said. ”But, these ways can’t come at the cost of incomplete approval or a rush to put them into practice.”

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