What Not To Take To Treat COVID-19: Livestock Dewormer

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — As Mississippi grapples with a surge of coronavirus cases driven by the highly contagious delta variant, the state's top doctor this week issued a baffling warning to anyone who contracts the virus: don't use livestock dewormer to treat it.

Mississippi Health Officer Thomas Dobbs made the statement after the state health department issued a warning not to take the drug, according to The Washington Post. Apparently, the agency had reported an uptick in calls from people with potential ivermectin exposure taken to treat or prevent covid-19 infection."

Dobbs called it a “kind of crazy" act, comparing it to getting chemotherapy at a feed store.

“Please don’t do that,” Dobbs said during a news conference.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also weighed in through what could only be described as an exasperated tweet.

Here's what you should know about ivermectin, according to the FDA:

• Ivermectin has not been approved for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans.
• Ivermectin tablets are approved at very specific doses for some parasitic worms. It can also be used topically to treat head lice and skin conditions like rosacea. It is not an anti-viral drug.
• Taking large doses of this drug is dangerous and can cause serious harm.
• If you have a prescription for ivermectin for an FDA-approved use, get it from a legitimate source and take it exactly as prescribed.
• Never use medications intended for animals on yourself. Ivermectin preparations for animals are very different from those approved for humans.

Learn more about the approved uses for ivermectin on the FDA's website.