Not Well Publicized Scientific Information About Covid 19

                                                 Alen J Salerian MD

·      Transmission: air and person to person (1).

·      Essential features of transmission : it may travel 200m or longer distances by wind and other environmental influences and lives up to 14 hours (1).

·      Clinical presentation: some infected may never  develop symptoms yet may transmit it to others. Common symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, chest tightness, loss of taste, fatigue, breathing difficulties and muscle aches.

·      Treatment: in vitro and clinical studies have shown  that hydroxychloroquine  is effective and safe (2,3). For several decades  hydroxychloroquine has been used by millions to prevent and treat malaria , is  inexpensive  with no or relatively minor side effects (2,3).

·      Prevention: hydroxychloroquine  is effective and safe (2,3). Also evidence suggests povidone iodine  solution applied to the nose and throat significantly decrease viral  loads in the upper airway and may prevent infection(4,5,6).

Acknowledgment: I  thank Nansen G Saleri PhD for his input on povidone.

References:

1.         Ignatius Tak-Sun Yu, Hong Qiu, Lap Ah Tse, Tze Wai Wong, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Beyond Amoy Gardens: Completing the Incomplete Legacy, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 58, Issue 5, 1 March 2014, Pages 683–686, 

2.         Philippe Colson , Jean-Marc Rolain , Jean-Christophe Lagier , Philippe Brouqui , Didier Raoult , Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as available weapons to fight COVID-19, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents (2020),

3.         Colson P, Rolain JM, Raoult D. Chloroquine for the 2019 novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020;55(3):105923. doi:10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.105923

4.          Eggers, M., Koburger-Janssen, T., Eickmann, M. et al. In Vitro Bactericidal and Virucidal Efficacy of Povidone-Iodine Gargle/Mouthwash Against Respiratory and Oral Tract Pathogens. Infect Dis Ther 7, 249–259 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40121-018-0200-7

5.          Mortensen, W. and Beck, M. Oral and Nasal Decontamination Prior to Intubation. Memo by Utah Society of Anesthesiologists (April 7, 2020).

6.         Ramalingam, S., Graham, C., Dove, J. et al. A pilot, open labelled, randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling for the common cold. Sci Rep 9, 1015 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-37703-3