A Kent paramedic is among Covid-19 patients who took part in a clinical trial that identified a life-saving treatment for the virus.

Costa Dino Andreou, 59, was given steroid drug dexamethasone after being admitted to the Margate's QEQM hospital with coronavirus in April.

It was given to about 2,000 coronavirus patients in hospital, and their progress was compared with that of about 4,000 people who did not receive the drug.

The research found the drug reduced the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators, and by a fifth for those on oxygen.

Mr Andreou, who works for the London Ambulance Service, said: “The hospital staff mentioned the trial the day I was admitted.

“The decision to take part was difficult because of not knowing what would happen, and feeling like a guinea pig. But I was reassured I would be looked after and if there were any problems the drug would be stopped.

“I felt safe knowing there were medical people supervising everything and keeping a close eye on me.”

Mr Andreou lives in Chatham, but was staying with friends in Walmer, near Deal, when he became ill.

He received the drug for the four days he was in hospital.

His results were monitored by the research team at East Kent Hospitals as part of the Recovery trial - a nationwide randomised clinical trial testing a range of possible treatments.

More than 11,500 patients were enrolled by hospitals across the UK, with the results analysed by researchers led by a team from Oxford.

Jessica Evans, director of research and innovation at East Kent Hospitals, said: “Our research delivery teams at QEQM, Kent and Canterbury, and the William Harvey Hospital have worked extremely hard to recruit many patients to take part in this successful study.

“The results are incredibly important and have immediate applications globally for the many thousands of patients.

“It would not have been possible without the hard work and support of our clinicians, pharmacists, principal investigators and research delivery team, as well as patients like Mr Andreou who kindly agreed to participate.”

The Trust is also one of only two in Kent, Surrey and Sussex to trial the use of plasma collected from donors who have recovered from Covid-19 in patients to see if it aids their recovery.

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