FDA Approves Two Oral Antivirals against COVID-19 - India Got One of Them

COVID-19 Pandemic which started in 2019 is probably getting into its last phases as third wave hits India in December 2020-January 2021. Thankfully now we have got two oral drugs against SARS-CoV2 virus which is responible for COVID-19 diseases. So far as per our experience the latest variant of SARS-CoV2, aka Omnicron is the causative agent in the third wave.

America's drug controller FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved these two anti-COVID oral antivirals as Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) - Molnupiravir and Paxlovid. 

COVID-19 Updates - Virus Origin Story & Global and Indian Lockdown

Dunlop More, Kolkata during Lockdown
Photo source: internet/unknown

COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019) is a spectrum of diseases (of which worst case scenario is pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome/ARDS) caused by novel corona virus/severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-Cov2). As it turned into pandemic declared by WHO on March 11, 2020 (second after Swine Flu pandemic in 2009), it was first detected in Wuhan city of Hubei district of China by end of November 2019, and like many developing (and communist) countries, China ignored the early signs of epidemic and WHO was allowed for surveillance on January 8, 2020. 

Soon the COVID-19 started detecting in several other countries. So far worst hit countries are Italy, Spain, France, UK and USA. China is reporting negligible no. of new cases after March 15. 

Initially there were few conspiracy theories landed up, as SARS-CoV2 is a bioweapon made by China. However bioweapons like Anthrax does possess features like high infectivity, high virulence, non-availability of vaccines, and availability of an effective and efficient delivery system. That does not go with SARS-Cov2. But many say that China saw this outbreak back in August as they recovered so fast. And China did not inform it to the world, as the world suffers til date due to Covid-19. 

List of Government Medical Colleges in West Bengal

This is the list of Govt. Medical Colleges in WB, affiliated by WB University of Health Sciences (WBUHS). 

They all offer MBBS courses, not sure about nursing courses, medical technology courses or post MBBS PG/diploma/DNB courses. MBBS admissions are based on NEET-UG ranks and counselling. 

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) was first introduced in India in 2013. NEET-UG was created as a single, national entrance exam for admission to undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS), and AYUSH courses. It replaced the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) and various state-level entrance exams.

NMC lists 780 colleges across the country who provides 1,18,190 MBBS seats (updated on April, 2025). That time Bengal holds 5,700 MBBS seats in 37 medical colleges.