Will taking a tablet at home soon be enough to fight off Covid-19?

Trials are being held across Nottinghamshire for new oral antiviral treatments to ward off Covid-19.

Local GPs and healthcare professionals are recruiting participants to see if a simple tablet, taken at home, could help vulnerable people recover more quickly from coronavirus, preventing the need to go into hospital.

The groundbreaking, new treatments are intended for use in the very early stages of infection by patients at higher risk of complications.

The first treatment to go through the trial is molnupiravir (brand name Lagevrio), a pill that has already been licensed by the regulatory agency.

Molnupiravir (brand name Lagevrio) is the first tablet to be investigated through the trials.

Residents of Mansfield and Ashfield can join the trials if they are aged 50 or over, or they are aged between 18 and 49 with underlying health conditions that make them more clinically vulnerable.

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If the trials are successful, it is hoped that oral antiviral treatments will, in the future, help to ease the burden on the NHS as it fights the pandemic.

Dr Simon Royal, research lead at the University of Nottingham Health Service, said: “It is hoped these new treatments could be another tool for the NHS.

"I would urge anyone in the county who receives a positive PCR test for Covid-19 to consider stepping forward to take part in the study.

"If you meet the criteria, you will be playing a vital role in helping experts find new ways to tackle the symptoms of Covid-19.”

Professor Nick Lemoine, of the National Institute for Clinical Research, said: “These drugs work by disrupting the virus and preventing it from multiplying inside the body. Early trials suggest they are safe and effective.”

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