Monica Almeida, a 37 year old nurse in the UK, was just 72 hours from her ventilator being shut off when doctors had the idea to use the erectile dysfunction drug to treat her respiratory condition.

She had been in a coma for 28 days and the level of oxygen in her blood had dropped to critical levels when quick-thinking doctors made the decision to use the drug to open up her airwaves.

Monica tested positive for the virus in October while working for NHS Lincolnshire. Despite being double jabbed, she lost all sense of taste and smell and began coughing up blood after within a few days of her diagnosis.

She was originally discharged from hospital but returned to Lincoln County Hospital just a few hours later after waking up unable to breathe. Doctors tried to restore her oxygen levels but eventually she was moved into the ICU ward where, on 16 November, she was placed into a coma. Her parents in Portugal were contacted and were told to say their goodbyes.

With her future looking grim, doctors decided to try and use a large doseage of Viagra and on 14 December Monica emerged from her coma.

Scientists have been studying the possibility of using the Pfizer drug, Viagra, for a short while now. The nitric oxide in the blue pill dilates the blood vessels and opens the airways causing an increase in oxygen levels in the blood. The UK NHS have now agreed to offer Viagra to Covid patients as a treatment if they agree to being in a study to try experimental drugs.

Monica said: “It was the Viagra that saved me.

“Within 48 hours it opened up my airwaves and my lungs started to respond.

“If you think about how the drug works, it expands your blood vessels.

“I have asthma and my air sacks need a little help.”

The mother of two is now at home recovering.