Positives

• Patients on simvastatin and atorvastatin commonly see reduced mortality risk in COVID-19, with simvastatin specifically downregulating inflammation of SARS-CoV-2 induced pulmonary infection by reducing IL-6, CCL5/Rantes, and TNFα News Medical.
• Long COVID patients on pravastatin (a related statin) plus maraviroc commonly report a significant decrease in inflammatory immune markers, with reported fatigue scores dropping from above 60 to below 40 PMC.

Negatives

• Multiple patients report “severe intolerance” and inability to tolerate the medication Mayo Clinic Connect.
• Some patients experience significant adverse reactions that preclude continued use despite symptom benefit attempts Mayo Clinic Connect.

Hurdles & Side Effects

• Generic simvastatin is among the cheapest cholesterol medications available, with 90-day supplies as low as $10.80 with a GoodRx coupon and 30-day supplies on the Walmart $4 list at most locations.
• Patients on simvastatin commonly describe muscle pain, with one patient reporting leg cramps starting about a week after initiation that progressed to body-wide aching in hips, ankles, wrists, and shoulders along with severe fatigue Drugs.com.
• Simvastatin is the statin most likely to cause muscle pain (especially at higher doses), and rare cases progress to rhabdomyolysis with risk of kidney failure.