Coronavirus: Cardiff's role in dexamethasone trials

The "game-changing" drug dexamethasone is now being used across the UK in coronavirus treatment, following a successful trial including patients in Cardiff.

For patients on ventilators, it was found to cut the risk of death from 40% to 28%. For patients needing oxygen, it cut the risk of death from 25% to 20%.

The Cardiff and Vale health board was the first in the UK to trial the steroid for coronavirus treatment, with 180 patients taking part.

"Usually to set up a study takes six to twelve weeks," said Christopher Fegan of Cardiff University's medical school.

"We literally did it in a fortnight."