Scientists hail a Covid treatment ‘milestone’

An inhaled, widely available asthma drug shortens recovery time in people with coronavirus who have not been admitted to hospital, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Oxford University say the discovery is a “significant milestone” and that the drug, budesonide, is effective as a treatment at home and during the early stages of the illness.

Early treatment with the medication shortens recovery time by a median average of three days in those with Covid-19 who are at higher risk of more severe illness and are treated in the community, according to the research.

It is a safe, relatively inexpensive and readily available corticosteroid commonly used around the world in inhalers.