June 22, 2023 – Can common antidepressants prevent COVID-19 infection? This is usually recommended by a study that BMC Medicinebased on infection trends amongst greater than 5,600 patients in mental health care within the United Kingdom from April to December 2020.
According to the report, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were particularly effective in blocking COVID-19 transmission.
“Mentally ill people with a current (90 days ago) prescription for an SSRI were almost 40% less likely to test positive for COVID-19,” the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) on the University of Minnesota.
Studies have found that 27.7% of COVID-19 negative patients had taken a minimum of one antidepressant within the 90 days prior to admission to a mental health center, in comparison with just over 16% of COVID-19 positive patients.
CIDRAP noted: “SSRIs, including fluvoxamine (Luvox) and fluoxetine (Prozac), have been studied by various groups during the pandemic, with mixed results regarding protection against or treatment of the virus.”
But the researchers say their study may reveal the advantages of SSRIs beyond anxiety and depression.
“The results of this study suggest the potential clinical benefit” of SSRIs in COVID-19 infection, said lead writer Oleg Glebov of King's College London in a Press release.
He called for further studies, saying: “Inexpensive, well-characterized and readily available drugs such as antidepressants could help contain the spread of COVID-19.”