Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue guidance to GPs to routinely prescribe dexamethasone to patients who have underlying lung and heart conditions; and when they intend to issue any such guidance.

General practitioners who routinely prescribe dexamethasone for conditions other than COVID-19 should continue to do so. There is no current or anticipated strain on the supply of dexamethasone in the United Kingdom.

Based on findings from the RECOVERY trial, UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that clinicians consider dexamethasone for the management of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 who require oxygen or ventilation. The RECOVERY trial found no benefit for patients who did not require oxygen and the trial did not study patients outside the hospital setting.