Phase 1 (or non-severe phase)
In this phase, patient has contracted SARS-CoV-2, the infection starts and the immune system reacts against the virus. Initial symptoms can be cough, fatigue, fever, nausea and diarrhea.
The duration of this phase can be three-seven days. During this non-severe stage, a specific adaptive immune response is required to break down the virus and to avoid the disease progression in the severe stages. Therefore, strategies to increase the immune responses could be certainly important. At this stage it can be helpful an antiviral to inhibit the viral load and avoid complications with the prevention of virus replication. Probably, an antiviral could be effective to stimulate the immune system even more at this stage, avoiding the use of steroid or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, and being able to take into consideration the administration of immunostimulants or plasma derived from cured patients.
Currently, there is evidence of efficacy as antivirals for the drugs remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.
If the infection is contained in this stage and the virus defeated, this can be a very good chance of recovery without further complications.