A common asthma drug, Budesonide, which could be given by GP surgeries as an early community intervention, has been found to reduce Covid-19 symptoms.
In a small trial at the University of Oxford, the steroid inhaler was given seven days after the onset of Covid-19 symptoms and appeared to significantly reduce the need for critical care.
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The researchers also reported persistent Covid symptoms, seen after 28 days, were reduced with the asthma drug.
The study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, involved 146 people who had tested positive for Covid-19, half of whom were given 800 mg of Budesonide twice a day and the other half received the usual care.
The researchers found that using the steroid inhaler reduced the relative risk of needing critical care by 90% over the study period. They also found that there was a quicker resolution of fever and less persistent symptoms after 28 days.
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The study was published on the medRxiv pre-print server, but the researchers were optimistic that the common medication could help.
Professor Mona Bafadhel from the University of Oxford, who led the trial, said: ‘There have been important breakthroughs in hospitalised Covid-19 patients, but equally important is treating early disease to prevent clinical deterioration and the need for urgent care and hospitalisation.’
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She added: ‘I am heartened that a relatively safe, widely available and well-studied medicine such as an inhaled steroid could have an impact on the pressures we are experiencing during the pandemic.’
As the effects of long Covid-19 become more visible, GPs in Essex have been asked to manage the long-term health issues associated with the virus.
