Coronavirus disease 2019: A comprehensive review on recent clinical updates and management tools for pharmacists

Abstract

In the Hubei region of China, a pneumonia outbreak occurred in December 2019, which was confirmed to be caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). It quickly became known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 or simply COVID-19, a pandemic that continues to devastate countries across the world. Through this COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists across the globe have continued to offer direct patient care and provided frontline service to society. However, while the frontline staff is heralded, they are relegated to the background and overlooked most of the time. The most reachable healthcare providers are pharmacists because they can provide direct medical services despite tight regulations and restrictions related to the pandemic. During this pandemic, the involvement of pharmacists to handle COVID-19 and its complications proved to be crucial in alleviating the burden on the already strained healthcare system. They have provided very important services such as distributing medications to patients, encouraging adherence to medications for better control of chronic diseases, consulting on minor illnesses, clarifying myths regarding COVID-19, and contributing to COVID-19 screening. The treatment or management of COVID-19 was based on initial findings but is now being updated several times based on viral mutation, different studies across the globe, etc. This review focuses on recent clinical updates and tools that would help pharmacists with a more systematic approach to properly handling COVID-19 and its complications.