Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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843. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider using ivermectin and colchicine in the treatment of Covid-19 [5803/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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At the request of NPHET, HIQA conducted a rapid evidence review to identify studies on the effectiveness of (i) pharmaceutical and (ii) non-pharmaceutical interventions, in the ambulatory setting, aimed at reducing progression to severe disease in individuals with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. Low certainty or very low certainty evidence was identified in relation to a small number of interventions. However, HIQA noted the low quality of the evidence available including the high risk of bias, small sample sizes and short durations of follow-up different trials and advised that results from these studies should not be used to inform decision-making with respect to effectiveness.

HIQA’s overall finding was that there is currently insufficient evidence of either effectiveness or safety to support the use of any pharmaceutical intervention in the community setting to reduce the risk of progression to severe disease in patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 unless as part of an ongoing monitored clinical trial. Furthermore, no evidence was identified for the effectiveness or safety of any non-pharmaceutical intervention in the community setting. The HIQA evidence review will be published shortly.

John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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844. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the mental health supports being provided to persons during Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5807/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.