The Health Secretary revealed the UK has secured new antiviral drug deals.
In a Downing Street press briefing, Sajid Javid said the UK should be proud as it has been at the forefront of the cutting edge treatments against Covid-19.
The politician lifted the lid on two landmark deals to supply hundreds of thousands of doses of two new antivirals which have the potential to speed up recovery time and stop infections from progressing.
The antivirals are waiting on MHRA approval.
“We should be proud that the UK is at the forefront of treatments,” the health secretary told the press conference.
“Dexamethasone is estimated to have saved one million lives across the world. Some of the most vulnerable patients across the NHS are already benefitting from ronapreve.
“We are seeing promising developments around antivirals too. They work by targeting the virus at the early stage and disrupting the way they develop and multiply.
“I am pleased to announce we have signed two landmark deals to supply hundreds of thousands of doses of two new antivirals.
“These antivirals have the potential to speed up recovery time and to stop infections from progressing.
“If they get MHRA approval then we can provide vulnerable patients with vital protection this summer. I want to deploy them as quickly as possible.”
It comes as Covid cases reached 49,139 and there were a further 179 deaths recorded in the UK on Wednesday.
By contrast, 233 deaths were reported within 28 days of a positive test on Tuesday.
