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COVID-19: Drug trial gives hope

Remdesivir was originally developed as an antiviral treatment for Ebola, but a full clinical trial has shown its potential for reducing symptoms of coronavirus. At the moment, the impact of the drug on the number of deaths is still unknown. Neil and Catherine look at the vocabulary in the news around this story.

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The story

Remdesivir is an antiviral that was originally developed as a treatment for Ebola. A full clinical trial of more than a thousand people suggests it cuts coronavirus symptoms from an average of 15 days down to 11. However, the impact on deaths is still not certain, and the fine detail is lacking. The data has not been published or reviewed by independent scientists. It means we cannot be convinced of the drug’s effectiveness or usefulness.

Key words and phrases

clear-cut
obvious; easy to understand

• It was a clear-cut penalty. How did the referee miss it?
• The election result was not clear-cut. A coalition government is likely to follow.

opening the door
making something possible

• By going to university, you’re opening the door to job opportunities.
• Lockdown has opened the door for online delivery companies.

show promise
give an indication of likely success

• Picasso showed promise even when he was a child. His drawings were brilliant.
• Treatment to help people with sleeping problems has been showing promise.

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