£5 Covid Wonder Drug Saves Lives

‘Biggest breakthrough’ yet in fight against virus

- Hanna Geissler

A cheap and widely available drug has become the world’s first Covid-19 treatment proven to save lives – thanks to British researchers.

Dexamethasone, which costs just £5 per course and is usually prescribed for arthritis, asthma and allergies, cuts coronavirus deaths by up to a third, the scientists found.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed it “the biggest breakthrough yet” as he thanked the experts and patients who took part in trials.

The study showed that the steroid developed to tackle inflammatory conditions, reduced deaths by a third among Covid-19 patients on ventilators and by a fifth in those needing oxygen support alone.

This means that one life will be saved for every eight people who are ventilated and for every 25 patients on oxygen.

The medication, administered by a pill or jab, was rolled out yesterday on the NHS as standard care for the sickest coronavirus patients.

Speaking at the daily Downing Street briefing, Mr Johnson said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the biggest breakthrough yet has been made by a fantastic team of scientists right here in the UK.

“I am proud of these British scientists, backed by UK Government funding, who have led the first robust clinical trial anywhere in the world to find a coronavirus treatment proven to reduce the risk of death.

“I’m very grateful to the thousands of patients in this country who volunteered for the trials.

“Thank you.”

He added that the Government had taken steps to ensure the UK would have enough supplies of dexamethasone even if there was a second wave of infections.