Dapsone Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Trial (DAP-CORONA) COVID-19

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female aged ≥ 40 years;
2. Symptomatic adults with confirmed COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2 PCR positive) for at least 24hrs. and no more than 7 days: by report or observation, including one or more of thefollowing: temperature ≥ 38°C (≥100.4°F), chills or shivering, cough, difficultybreathing, fatigue, headache, muscle or body ache, anosmia (loss of smell) and/ordysgeusia (loss of taste), GI symptoms (nausea and/or vomiting);

(3a) Aged ≥70 years or above, presence of concomitant comorbidity not required forinclusion or

(3b) Aged ≥40 to <70 years, and presence of at least one of the following concomitantcomorbidities by report, history, or observation:

• Cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension, coronary artery diseases, congestiveheart failure, symptomatic arrhythmia, transient brain ischemia, stroke)
• Chronic respiratory diseases (e.g., Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),asthma, pulmonary fibrosis)
• Obesity (BMI >30 kg/m^2)
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Cancer (participant reported: stable >6 months as per treating doctor/oncologist)
• Autoimmune diseases (T1D, RA, PA, MS, IBD, AD, SS, HT, SLE) (4) Participant is considered suitable for continued management in the out-patientsetting. (5) Non-pregnant non-breastfeeding women of reproductive age group not planningpregnancy and/or adopting advised contraception during the study and for 3 monthsafter the last dose of study medication.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unable to provide consent; diagnosis of dementia or other significant neurocognitivedisorder;
2. Current hospitalization;
3. Patient requiring long term oxygen treatment of > 5 L O2/min because of a chronic lungcondition at time of recruitment;
4. Known intolerance/allergy to sulfone;
5. Pregnant or breastfeeding women or is considering becoming pregnant during the studyand for 3 months after the last dose of study medication;
6. Concurrent malignancy on systemic chemotherapy or immunotherapy;
7. Significantly impaired renal function within the past year reported by history andestimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 mL/min at screening
8. Severely underweight (≤ 40 kg)
9. G6PD deficiency (previous jaundice, jaundice with foods such as beans, or medicationsuch as sulfa drugs, NSAIDs, quinolones, hydroxychloroquine or vitamin C), significantblood dyscrasia or anemia (Hb <12.0 g/dL in women and <13.0 g/dL in men; plateletcount <50 x 10^9/L or < lower limit of normal at screening)
10. Impairment liver function [> 2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) at screening atscreening for AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, albumin or bilirubin), liver cirrhosis or hepatitis
11. Current use of folic acid antagonists (such as pyrimethamine), nitrofurantoin orprimaquine
12. Currently taking oral dapsone for dermatological or other indications
13. Currently taking hydroxychloroquine or if have taken it within the last 6 months
14. Currently on any of the following medications: Aminolevulinic acid; Cladribine;Clozapine; Deferiprone; Prilocaine; Saquinavir; Sodium nitrite, Rifampin or St. John'swort
15. Received any of the following vaccines in the last 1 year : Cholera vaccine live;Typhoid vaccine, live; BCG (Bacillus Calmette and Guérin)
16. Currently taking any the following anticonvulsants : carbamazepine, phenytoin,levetiracetam and gabapentin
17. Currently participating in other interventional trials
18. Inability to provide contact details of caregiver/ next of kin to be contacted forstudy follow-up as participant's surrogate
19. Currently taking trimethoprim