<span style="color: #222222;">The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued the clinical management protocol for Covid-19. Loss of smell and loss of taste are included as new symptoms of corona virus amongst others.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Health Ministry suggested that investigational therapies and drugs-Remdesivir, Convalescent Plasma Therapy, Tociluzimab and Hydroxychloroquine should only be used in a defined subgroup of Covid patients. Ministry advised that Remdesivir may be considered in patients with moderate disease who are on oxygen.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Convalescent plasma may be considered in patients with moderate disease whose oxygen requirement is progressively increasing despite use of steroids. In the case of Convalescent Plasma Therapy, it is advised that recipient should be closely monitored for several hours post transfusion for any transfusion related adverse events and its use should be avoided in patients with IgA deficiency or immunoglobulin allergy.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Health Ministry also suggested that use of Tocilizumab may be considered in patients with moderate disease with progressively increasing oxygen requirements and in mechanically ventilated patients, not improving despite use of steroids.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">On the use of Hydroxychloroquine, Ministry said that this drug has demonstrated in vitro activity against corona virus and was shown to be clinically beneficial with significant limitations. It is advised that this drug should be used as early as possible in the disease course to achieve any meaningful effects and it should be avoided in patients with severe disease.</span>