Nebraska Receives Drug used to help Treat Coronavirus Patients

LINCOLN - While a vaccine for the coronavirus is likely still a long way way, a drug called Remdesivir is the first to show some promise as a treatment for severe coronavirus patients.

Wednesday afternoon, Governor Pete Ricketts announced the state has received 400 vials of the drug from the federal government which he says can be used to help treat about 50 people.

"Dr. Anthone is putting together a team about how those will be distributed and so fourth so we'll be working with the health systems here in Nebraska to be able to do that."

Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health and Human Dr. Gary Anthone says the drug has been shown to help the recovery time of patients who are on ventilators.

"I think it does give people hope and I think it gives doctors hope too. And I know that's why a lot of doctors want to use it now. Because they want to give all patients the best chance they have."

Nationally 600,000 doses of the drug have been distributed by the federal government.