Under the title "A Ray of Hope... 'Famous Device' Accelerates Recovery from COVID-19," Sky News Arabia reported that British experts have stated that using inhalers designed for asthma patients can speed up the recovery of patients with COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus. According to the experts, as mentioned by the British newspaper "The Sun" on Tuesday, these statements raise hopes of nearly ending lockdowns, as medical authorities would have a new means to accelerate recovery from COVID-19.
The average length of stay for COVID-19 patients in British hospitals is 8 days, while asthma inhalers can reduce this duration by three days. British government ministers have informed Members of Parliament in the House of Commons that doctors are suggesting the use of inhalers for COVID-19 patients on a case-by-case basis.
Parliamentarians in the UK are urging the government to expand the use of these devices widely. Graham Brady, a member of the Conservative Party's COVID recovery committee, stated, "If the average hospital stay is now eight days, and you can reduce that by three days using inhalers, then why the hell haven't they done that?"
The British Ministry of Health reported that this treatment has been tested on a number of COVID-19 patients over the age of 65 who have not been hospitalized, as well as on patients aged 50 and older with certain health conditions, but it has not been deemed a universal treatment for all COVID-19 patients in the UK.
A trial conducted by the University of Oxford previously concluded that patients treated with inhalers improved faster and were less likely to be hospitalized. Another Oxford study found the medication effective for individuals of all ages, regardless of pre-existing health issues, particularly after examining cases involving 4,700 patients across the country.
Chris Butler, a professor of primary care at the University of Oxford, described the results as "very exciting." He added, "This cheap and widely available medication helps people recover faster."
