Early initiation of favipiravir (FPV) can improve antiviral effects and clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, a study published in Virology Journal concluded. Anıl Ucan et al. assessed the efficacy of FPV in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and elucidated if the timing of FPV initiation has any benefit in these patients.

To solve the basis of this retrospective observational study, COVID-19 infected patients admitted to the hospital were divided into three groups (group 1, group 2 and group 3; with 48 patients in each group) as per the timely and late use of FPV along with hydroxychloroquine (HQ) from March 2020 till September 2020. Subjects in Group 3 were only given HQ. FPV was used on or after day 3 if the respiratory or clinical condition had not improved significantly in group 2 patients.

Timely use of FPV had an effect on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) negativity and disease progression. Lack of a novel outcome in the control radiological assessment and associated clinical worsening was regarded as 'No progression'. Group 1 witnessed a greater decline in C-reactive protein in the blood as compared to Group 3 patients. Also, prompt initiation of FPV therapy did not have a positive effect on the predicted survival time.