Olivier Véran, a qualified doctor and neurologist, who is also the nation's health minister tweeted on Saturday: “The taking of anti-inflammatories [ibuprofen, cortisone … ] could be a factor in aggravating the infection. If you are already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctor’s advice.”According to health officials, anti-inflammatory drugs are a known risk for people with infectious illnesses because they can decrease the response of the body’s immune system, the Guardian reports. They are recommending that people should take paracetamol instead because it “it will reduce the fever without counterattacking the inflammation”. Since January, all French residents most seek advice from a pharmacist if they want to buy popular painkillers such as ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin. Official figures have also confirmed the number of positive cases in the UK is 1,372.

Source: Daily Mirror March 15, 2020 17:19 UTC