COVID-19 in Ballarat: Clinical study on preventative drug for close contacts

A Monash University-sponsored trial is seeking close contacts of an infected person in Ballarat and Bendigo while they are testing negative and remain without symptoms. Participants will then be given either a placebo or a trial preventative drug and monitor whether they develop COVID-19.

Melbourne-based doctor Mark Stein, an endocrinologist who is working in the study's team, said this was a preventative study and not about treatments, such as anti-virals, or vaccines.

"It's about catching them when the viral load is very load," Dr Stein said.

"We want to see if this can nip it in the bud...this can have tremendous health implications because we're shutting down the virus before people turn positive and need time off work.

"At the moment coronavirus is milder but we don't know what is coming in new variants or whether there will be another virus. We do need to get this information."

Dr Stein said while general community interest in COVID-19 protections and numbers had significantly waned, people were generally still interested in the prevention concept.

He said the key was bringing people on board early - within three days of being a close contact - to undergo screenings to determine suitability.

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What they have found is occasionally people might develop a sore throat or similar symptoms to COVID-19 but not actually have the virus, which can skew the trial.

Dr Stein said the study also collects information on whether a person has had a COVID-19 booster but this does not impact eligibility for the prevention drug.

The clinical trial follows on from a study undertaken by Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute's Kylie Wagstaff, who found Invermectin could prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection (the virus behind COVID-19) in cells under laboratory conditions.

Advice from the national COVID-19 clinical evidence taskforce remains in place: Ivermectin must not be used for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 outside clinical trials with appropriate ethical approval.

Health experts are still urging people to prevent COVID-19 infections by wearing masks in high-risk environments, indoors and in health settings, to maintain hygiene such as hand santising and let fresh air in.

Vaccinations are the agreed best prevention with adults encouraged to have a booster if they have not had a COVID-19 vaccine or infection for six months.

For more details and to check eligibility for the study, visit closecontacts.com.au.

GRAMPIANS Public Health Unit has reiterated a call for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to still take a rapid antigen test.

Victoria's health department stopped counting self-reported COVID-19 cases this month due to dwindling reports, which rendered such data meaningless.

But Grampians Public Health Unit has stated RATs remain critical for early detection of the virus, protecting others and allowing access to best care and treatment.

Anyone who is symptomatic or who tests positive to COVID-19 must stay home, isolate and maintain hygiene and ventilation. Some people who are COVID-positive may be eligible for anti-viral treatment from their general practitioner.

Free RATs are available in the City of Ballarat via Sebastopol Library.

Health experts will continue to look to measures such as hospital admissions from COVID-19 to monitor the virus.

Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett warned of major under-reporting offering a false sense of security for Ballarat more than a year ago. Professor Bennett has maintained hospital admissions is a less biased gauge on the impacts of COVID-19's serious impacts on a community.

Victoria averaged 158 COVID-19 cases in hospitals last week with a rolling seven-day average of seven cases in the intensive care unit.

This was down from an average of 207 COVID-19 cases in hospitals and 10 people in ICU a week earlier.

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