Thousands throng to buy Remdesivir at Chennai stadium, chaos prevails

A sea of people gathered to buy Remdesivir outside the stadium in Chennai tossing away Covid precautions on the first day of distribution. The distribution of which is controlled by the government, a report in India Today said.

The rush for procuring Remdesivir comes as doctors have pressed for the judicious use of the drug underscoring that unnecessary use of the drug can cause more harm than good. AIIMS doctors on Saturday said that Covid-19 patients on home care should not take Remdesivir medication and they should get admitted at a hospital if the oxygen level drops below 94.

Saturday marks the first day since the Tamil Nadu government shifted the sales counter for Remdesivir from the Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital (KMC) to the Nehru Indoor Stadium in an attempt to reduce crowding. However, what unfolded outside the My Lady’s park gate of the stadium seemingly defeated the purpose of the move.

Tamil Nadu is getting 7,000 Remdesivir injections every day. The state government has been arguing that this is far below its requirement and has demanded that its daily allocation should be increased to 20,000 injections daily.

Recently, the state government informed the Madras High Court that it has decided to distribute Remdesivir at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium because it has a large space and social distancing can be ensured there. Earlier, the injection was being distributed at the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

Doctors who are experts in critical care have repeatedly pointed out that Remdesivir is not a life-saving drug. Incidentally, the most recent COVID-19 case management protocol released by the government of Tamil Nadu does not even mention Remdesivir.