Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread rapidly and caused significant damage to global public health as well as the economy. While the race of vaccine development witnessed a spectacular breakthrough with the introduction of highly effective vaccines such as BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or AZD1222, no specific drug for COVID-19 treatment has been discovered yet. Recently, repurposing drugs classified into three main groups of mechanisms, including antivirus, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and immunomodulators, are investigated. As a result, Remdesivir and six other drugs are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients infected by the SARS-CoV-2. This work aims to highlight that, besides vaccines, COVID-19 drugs should get more attention and be considered as one of the most promising strategies to safely coexist with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the new normal status and for the mutations of the virus, such as the omicron variant.

Key words: Covid-19 drugs; Strategy; Covid-19; the new normal; mutation of the Sar-CoV2 virus; omicron variant