There are several stories that take ibuprofen would worsen a coronavirus infection. Is that true? No, says this expert. “It is utter nonsense.”
Last Saturday the French minister tweeted of Solidarity and Health that taking an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen or cortisone can worsen an infection of the coronavirus. It was recommended to take acetaminophen.
Ibuprofen is less suitable
Marcel Bouvy, professor of pharmaceutical patient care at the University of Utrecht, directly undermines the French minister’s statement. “Paracetamol is more preferable in fever than ibuprofen. But that’s not because ibuprofen is said to potentiate the coronavirus. There is no reason to think that it is. Ibuprofen generally just has slightly more side effects than paracetamol.”
Ibuprofen is also less fever-reducing than paracetamol. “Ibuprofen, for example, is more suitable for people with osteoarthritis, joint or menstrual pain,” says Bouvy.
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You probably don’t need it
So it is simply smarter to take paracetamol in case of fever. But that does not mean that you now have to take that painkiller to a large extent. “Most people who get the virus will not have such bad symptoms at all. Extremely high fever is not part of it at all. So you will not need as much paracetamol.”
Paracetamol will not cure the virus, Bouvy adds. “It is at most some symptom relief. You can have a normal amount at home, but you really do not have to stock it for weeks. You just do not need that. It should not be the case that people with cancer, or people who have take surgery paracetamol, will soon be unable to get anything because people will collect. “
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