HCQ fails to prevent virus infection if exposed to Covid-19, says Study

Almost 90 per cent of the participants, according to the study, reported a high-risk exposure to a confirmed Covid-19 contact

The malaria drug hydroxychloroquine may not prevent Covid-19 illness or stop novel coronavirus infection when used as preventive medicine within four days after exposure to the virus, according to a study.

Scientists, including those from the McGill University in Canada, assessed whether the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) can prevent symptomatic infection after exposure to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is unknown.

In the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers conducted a randomised placebo-controlled trial across the US and parts of Canada testing HCQ as a preventive medicine, or prophylactic, following potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

"We enrolled adults who had household