We are under-utilizing our medical practitioners in the fight against covid-19. In order to understand what early treatments may benefit covid-19 patients, we suggest patients tested for covid-19 be asked if they are being tested because they are sick, are a contact, or are curious. Any patient with a positive test should be referred to a primary care doctor for potential treatments and offered enrollment in clinical trials that are attempting to determine the benefit of early treatment. Any sick patient with a negative test should undergo further evaluation to determine if the covid-19 test was a false negative, or the patient has an illness like influenza that could be diagnosed and treated.
This approach allows the bed-to-bench acquisition of knowledge, from thousands of medical practitioners treating currently infected patients; allows newly infected patients to enroll in early treatment studies; benefits those who have other illness that may respond to treatment; and prevents community spread covid-19 and of other illnesses.
About the Author
