Findings of the Recovery trial show that one death would be prevented by treatment of around eight ventilated patients.

Results suggest that dexamethasone reduces death by up to one third in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19.

Results suggest that dexamethasone reduces death by up to one third in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19.

Martin Landray, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Oxford, and one of the Chief Investigators of the Recovery ((Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY) trial said that results of the recovery trial suggest that a low dose of dexamethasone reduces the risk of death by one third in COVID -19 patients who are on ventilators, and by one fifth for the patients who received only oxygen. The results indicate that the use of this drug can prevent one death by treating around eight ventilated patients or approximately 25 patients requiring oxygen.

The World Health Organization has acknowledged the trial and has advised not to administer dexamethasone to prevent COVID-19 or to treat mild symptoms because it should only be administered in severely ill and critically ill patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.