'This is good news': Success of Remdesivir in treating Covid-19 encouraging, expert says

Professor Paddy Mallon, consultant in infectious diseases at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin has said that reports of the success of the drug Remdesivir in treating Covid-19 were encouraging.

However, he cautioned that peer reviews will still have to be completed.

Prof Mallon told RTÉ radio’s Today with Séan O’Rourke show that the drug is traditionally used for viral infections and it blocks the ability of the virus to replicate.

“This is good news,” he said.

But the results will still have to be validated and research cannot rely on just one trial, he added.

Prof. Mallon said that Ireland is very active in the search for a cure for Covid-19 conducting stand-alone trials while also participating in larger international trials.

“There is a lot of work going on in the world, but we need research and further studies to be up and running rapidly.”

Prof. Mallon said he thinks there will be a treatment drug for Covid-19 before there is a vaccine and his hope is that in the short term the medical profession will be able to control the virus, not eradicate it.