Potential strategies for combating COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, is caused by a novel coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2. The infection has now catapulted into a full-blown pandemic across the world, which has affected more than 2 million people and has led to approximately 150,000 fatalities all over the world (WHO). In this review, we elaborate all currently available data that shed light on possible methods for treatment of COVID-19, such as antiviral drugs, corticosteroids, convalescent plasma, and potentially effective vaccines. Additionally, ongoing and discontinued clinical trials that have been carried out for validating probable treatments for COVID-19 are discussed. The review also elaborates the prospective approach and the possible advantages of using convalescent plasma and stem cells for the improvement of clinical symptoms and meeting the demand for an instantaneous cure.