An antiviral can work on any of the steps of infection but is most effective early in the disease cycle. In contrast, drugs that control abnormal immune responses and inflammation (resulting from viral infection) in certain patients work well later as the disease progresses. The disease progression of COVID-19 doesn’t only involve viral infection and replication which would be treated by an antiviral, but also includes problems with immunity and inflammation in those who develop serious disease. So, a combination therapy with anti-inflammatory drugs in addition to antivirals may, in theory, be
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