Secondary outcomes

Secondary outcomes were reduction in viral RNA load on nasopharyngeal swab specimens (from baseline until the day after completion of therapy); improvement in laboratory parameters (including serum biomarkers of inflammation); and incidence of hospital admission after completion of therapy. Patients who did not return to the study sites either to receive the therapy or after the end of therapy were contacted by telephone to understand the reasons for nonadherence and were then excluded from per-protocol analysis (supplementary methods). Adverse events, regardless of grade, were monitored throughout the trial by review of the electronic medical record, physical examination, vital signs and laboratory tests from enrolment through day 14. The Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA, version 23.0) was used for classification.