In an interview with KTXS 12 ABC, a man from Abilene who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 said that he believes hydroxychloroquine, known for the treatment of malaria, saved his life. Malcom Johnson, a 55-year-old Texas man, said that in late March 2020, he was sent to the emergency room at Hendrick Medical Center in the worst pain of his life. “I couldn’t lay down. I started getting congestion, bad coughing a lot. My fever was weird because it would go up and down, up and down,” he explained. There, he was diagnosed with pneumonia as well as COVID-19. His breathing was slow and he lost his sense of taste and smell.
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Texas Man Treated for COVID-19 Says Hydroxychloroquine Saved Him
In treatment of his ailments, Johnson explained that doctors gave him a number of antibiotics in addition to hydroxychloroquine, despite the fact that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned against use of the drug in the treatment of COVID-19 due to possible lasting side effects such as kidney problems and heart rhythm issues. However, Johnson said that he would take the drug in a heartbeat for how it made him feel. “I didn’t care,” he explained. “They gave it to me and it worked. I’d take it again and I’d recommend it.” Johnson has since recovered from his battle with COVID-19. However he continues to have issues with his sense of smell, and during his hospitalization, he said that he was diagnosed with Type II diabetes.
Photo: @LittleIvan via Twenty20
On June 9, 2020, Sciencemag.org published an article claiming that three large studies on the use of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19 showed no real hope. Hydroxychloroquine has been praised by some doctors and government representatives as a possible cure, while at the same time being rejected by others as a false lead. What are your thoughts on hydroxychloroquine as a possible COVID treatment? If you had COVID, would you be willing to try hydroxychloroquine, or do you think it’s too risky? Let us know your thoughts!