NHS patients to get Covid ‘miracle pill’

Britain is first in the world to approve antiviral as major study suggests we’re past the winter peak

BRITAIN yesterday became the first country to roll out a ‘gamechanging’ pill that can treat Covid at home.

Patients who test positive for Covid and are most at risk of severe disease will be offered molnupiravir, which halves the risk of death.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the tablet could save lives this winter after it was approved for NHS use by the medical regulator. It came as a major study found that coronavirus cases are likely to have already peaked for 2021.

And it emerged millions of patients will soon be able to book their booster jabs in advance as the sluggish rollout of third doses finally speeds up.

The triple boost to the Covid fight provides hope the Government’s ‘Plan B’ will not be needed this winter.

Ministers had warned extra restrictions – including mandatory facemasks, vaccine passports and working from home – would be imposed if cases rose this autumn. But the latest data shows infections have been falling for the past fortnight, while hospital admissions are stable.

And it is hoped molnupiravir could halve future hospital admissions and keep the pressure off the NHS this winter.

Trials show that taking the tablet twice a day cuts rates of hospitalisation and death by 50 per cent in patients who have recently tested positive.

Molnupiravir will be offered only to those who are most at risk of developing severe Covid, such as cancer patients or diabetics. The initial rollout will be for a small number of patients as part of a clinical trial, and the NHS will then deploy it widely ‘if it is shown to be clinically and cost-effective’.

Mr Javid said: ‘Today is a historic day for our country, as the UK is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for Covid-19.

‘This will be a game-changer for the most vulnerable and the immuno-suppressed, who will soon be able to receive the ground-breaking treatment. The UK is leading the way to research, develop and roll out the most exciting, cuttingedge treatments.

‘We are working at pace across the Government and with the NHS to set out plans to deploy molnupiravir to patients through a national study as soon as possible.’

June Raine, chief executive of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which approved the drug, said the fact it was a pill that could be taken in patients’ homes was a huge advantage. She added: ‘It means it can be administered outside of a hospital setting, before Covid-19 has progressed to a severe stage.’ A study by King’s College London yesterday suggested Britain is firmly over the worst of the crisis.

Scientists tracking the epidemic found cases were falling as the rampant spread of the virus in schoolchildren comes under control.

Professor Tim Spector, lead author of the Zoe Covid symptom study, said: ‘Hopefully we’re over the last great peak of Covid in 2021. This is driven in large part by declining cases in children who have been on half-term holidays and by high rates of previous infection, but we’re hopeful that the trend will continue.’

Weekly cases are down 7 per cent, with 37,269 infections and 214 deaths recorded yesterday.

Officials have stressed the booster rollout is key to preventing a rise in hospitalisations. There are signs the pace of the programme is speeding up after ministers were under pressure to ‘turbo-charge’ the rollout.

Yesterday 359,834 doses were delivered in the UK, one of the highest figures recorded to date. Labour called on the Government to set a target of 500,000 booster jabs a day.

‘This will be a game changer’