Though not directly cancer related, a lot of the strategies used to help prevent and treat cancer also work against this virus. How can that be? Pretty simple, it is actually the immune system that kills both of them. This article is going to cover what you can do to Improve Your Odds against this dangerous virus (skip to Natural treatment / preventative options). Nothing in this post should be construed as medical advice or a substitute for medical treatment.
At the time of this writing, the new novel coronavirus (aka: 2019-nCoV, COVID-19) is continuing to spread and we have not yet reached the apex. First I would like to start with some basic facts that may help dispel some of the fear out there. Yes, many, if not most, people in the US will get this disease within the next two years. However, perhaps up to 80% of the people that get it will either have no symptoms, or regular flu like symptoms (or something in between). Only a small percentage go on to suffer severe symptoms that require hospitalization; of course some of those in that latter group will die (which also happens with the flu). Over 60,000 people died from the flu in the US during the 2017-2018 season, over 675,000 died in the pandemic of 1918 (just in the US). Although this is a very wide range, expect the coronavirus to fall someplace in between (a lot is unknown right now). Disease outbreaks such as this are not uncommon in human history.
People who have the least severe symptoms are younger and/or have very healthy immune systems. They are also finding that people who have the lowest level of initial exposure also fair better, probably because the immune system has less to fight initially; as the immune system hasn’t been trained yet it needs time to learn how to fight it. Immune system training is very important (this will be covered below).
New research (3/9/2020) out of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) shows that the COVID-19 virus can remain in the air for up to 3 hours after someones sneeze and can remain viable on surfaces for up to 3 days! This will make containment much harder.
“We found that viable virus could be detected in aerosols up to 3 hours post aerosolization, up to 4 hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel.” — Study
People with preexisting conditions that impact their health have a much higher chance of dying from COVID-19. The following table shows people who have a preexisting condition and what their chances of dying are if they contract COVID-19. If you have no preexisting conditions the chances of dying from COVID-19 is just under 1% (not accounting for age).
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION | DEATH RATE confirmed cases |
Cardiovascular disease | 13.2% |
Diabetes | 9.2% |
Chronic respiratory disease | 8.0% |
Hypertension | 8.4% |
Cancer | 7.6% |
no pre-existing conditions | 0.9% |
All data comes from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Chinese CDCC.
It is important to manage these conditions as best you can. Take those medications and try to stay as healthy as possible. They are also finding that people that have recently had influenza also do poorly with coronavirus (higher death rate), which is why they recommend getting the flu shot.
The following table shows the chances of dying for particular age groups if they contract COVID-19.
AGE | DEATH RATE all cases |
80+ years old | 14.8% |
70-79 years old | 8.0% |
60-69 years old | 3.6% |
50-59 years old | 1.3% |
40-49 years old | 0.4% |
30-39 years old | 0.2% |
20-29 years old | 0.2% |
10-19 years old | 0.2% |
0-9 years old | no fatalities |
I found this to be very good news, in that young children have a very low chance of dying from this disease. However, they probably still get it at the same rate as adults do. Meaning that they probably can be carriers, in some cases with no symptoms. So daycare centers and schools can be major disease spreading hubs as children will not practice good disease prevention steps (avoiding physical contact, covering their mouths, not putting their hands/objects in their mouth, etc.) This is the overall death rate, so it would include those people with preexisting conditions. This also probably means that older people with healthy immune systems, that are eating like their mama’s taught them, have a lower chance of dying from the this virus (influenza affects both the young and the old, this coronavirus mostly effects those that are older or unhealthy).
“The median age of cases detected outside of China is 45 years ranging from 2 to 74 years, 71% of cases were male” — World Health Organization
They’ve also found that (at least in China) the death rate for women is about 40% less than that of men. Having lived in Asia for several years (S.Korea) this is most likely due to the much higher rates of smoking and drinking for men (though younger women are trying them, they often stop, or scale way back, after they have children. This happens much less with men).
“People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.” — World Health Organization
So if you are under 50 years old, have no preexisting conditions (comorbidities), don’t smoke, drink in strict moderation (no more than 2 nights per week, 3 drinks/day for men, 2 for women), your odds of dying from COVID-19 are fairly low (though still higher than for the flu). There are also things that everyone can do to improve your odds even more (see below).
The overall death rates currently being reported (everywhere from 2-5%) are probably over estimates. The reason for that is many people who get mildly sick do not go to the doctor and get tested. They blame it on a cold or the flu and they don’t want to go to a hospital where they might get the coronavirus (not knowing that they already have it). Probably expect numbers around .5%-1% (the average death rate for the flu is around .1%). However, the transmission rate for the coronavirus might be higher (meaning you are more likely to get it). We just don’t know yet.
“The analysis of 22 studies reveals that human coronaviruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus or endemic human coronaviruses (HCoV) can persist on inanimate surfaces like metal, glass or plastic for up to 9 days, but can be efficiently inactivated by surface disinfection procedures with 62–71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite within 1 minute.” — Journal of Hospital Infection
“We already have four of these coronaviruses, mostly causing colds. We get them every year. They peak during winter but they still move around between us during the rest of the year as well. So it’s likely this might become one of those… at some point in the coming months or years we’re all going to get infected” — Ian Mackay, University of Queensland Virologist
I have laid out two approaches below to help prevent and lessen the severity of COVID-19; a natural approach (with scientific evidence) and the current medical advice. I highly recommend that you do both; and if you do get sick see your doctor (or call, they may not want you in their office!)
Natural Approach
There are many things we can do to improve our odds of either avoiding COVID-19 or having milder symptoms. Much of my new book, “Cancer: Improving Your Odds” is about improving the immune system and most of that applies to the coronavirus (as well as cancer). I highly recommend reading it as there is no way I can cover everything here. I am only including a minimum amount of supporting evidence in this article, there is a lot more in the book (which is easy to ignore if you want, but it’s there so you know these recommendations actually work). The book contains a lot more strategies for improving your immune system, and thus your response to COVID-19. Up to 70% of the immune system is located in the gut and our gut’s microbiome also plays a strong part in this (this topic is covered in my cancer book, and, of course, in my other book The Gut Health Protocol). Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links where I make a small amount of money on each purchase. However, I strongly recommend that you purchase where ever you find them the least expensive or at your local / family run store. The goal here is to keep you and family well!
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
- Bifidobacterium – Several recent cancer research studies have shown that the strong benefits of bifidobacterium at improving the immune system’s response to cancer cells. Improving gut health and boosting bifidobacterium levels provides for a strong immunomodulating benefit (this basically helps train the immune system so that it better differentiates between cancer and virus cells, while ignoring human cells. Thus avoiding autoimmune issues). The research on this is truly fascinating and is having a major impact on how we understand the immune system’s ability to fight cancer and viral infections. Improving your gut health and increasing your bifidobacterium levels is one of the most important things you can do to improve your immune system’s response to pulmonary viral infections and the resulting inflammation (this topic is covered in-depth in Cancer: Improving Your Odds). There are plenty of supplements that contain bifidobacteria, I recommend one with a phage complex to amplify this bacteria throughout the colon and reduce competition from less beneficial / bad strains.
“Bifidobacterium species inhibited tumor growth were through activating DCs (dendritic cells), which in turn, improves the effector function of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells.” PubMed ID#PMC5845387 (2018)
“Bifidobacterium, one of the major components of intestinal microflora, shows anti-influenza virus (IFV) potential as a probiotic, partly through enhancement of innate immunity by modulation of the intestinal immune system… oral administration of MM-2 for 17 consecutive days improved clinical symptoms, reduced mortality, suppressed inflammation in the lower respiratory tract, and decreased virus titers, cell death, and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and TNF-α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The anti-IFV mechanism of MM-2 involves innate immunity through significant increases in NK cell activities in the lungs and spleen and a significant increase in pulmonary gene expression of NK cell activators such as IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-12 and IL-18.” — PubMed ID#25400245
- Gut Health – After reading this document please also read “Gut Health Is Vital For COVID-19 Outcomes“
- Soluble Fiber – this is necessary to feed bifidobacteria in your gut, no fiber, no (or very little) bifido bacteria. I recommend Larch Tree Arabinogalactan fiber as it has several good studies showing that it improves the immune system, selectively feeds beneficial bacteria and can help fight viral infections (we use the Swanson brand of fiber). You should also consume a variety of cooked vegetables (cooking unbinds the soluble fiber from the insoluble fiber such as cellulose). My book The Gut Health Protocol has a lot more information on this (as does Cancer: Improving Your Odds).
“The present study demonstrated that larch arabinogalactan increased the body’s potential to defend against common cold infection.” — PubMed #23339578
“larch arabinogalactan has been shown to effect a slight increase in CD4 cell counts, in addition to decreasing susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens… Larch arabinogalactan is a safe and effective immune-stimulating phytochemical… recovery in certain cases of chronic fatigue syndrome.” AltMedRev
- No sugar diet – I’m sorry, but studies show that simple sugars interfere with neutrophils (also known as neutrocytes), a major component of the immune system and the first line of defense against viral infections. In this regard, more complex carbohydrates seem to have no negative effects against neutrophils. The type of simple sugar didn’t matter, so fructose from fruit is just as bad as a Snickers candy bar in this respect. (PMID: 4748178 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/26.11.1180 The full study is behind a paywall, but I have read the whole thing) Anything we can do to reduce glucose and insulin peaks can help. This is why diabetics do much worse with the coronavirus (see the WHO data above). Again, this is covered in my Cancer book.
- Fasting – There is a lot of evidence that intermittent fasting has strong benefits on the immune system. There is also some evidence that prolonged fasting (long periods of no food) can worsen viral infections. Therefore I would recommend “time restricted eating”; this where you consume no food for 16-18 hours, eating all of your calories in an 8 or 6 hour period (respectively). My wife and I try to finish dinner by 7pm and do not eat any calories again until noon the next day (+/- 1 hour). This is very easy and you quickly adapt to it; we never really feel hungry and we can eat what we want for lunch and dinner (though we both try to avoid sugar and attempt to eat healthy. But we certainly don’t feel deprived). Be sure to take a soluble fiber supplement (such as larch tree) to feed those bifido bacteria. The following is a December 2019 study that appeared in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (again, the full paper is behind a paywall but I have included a short excerpt below):
“intermittent fasting elicits evolutionarily conserved, adaptive cellular responses that are integrated between and within organs in a manner that improves glucose regulation, increases stress resistance, and suppresses inflammation… as well as disease resistance… During fasting, cells activate pathways that enhance intrinsic defenses against oxidative and metabolic stress and those that remove or repair damaged molecules… patients who adhered to the alternate-day fasting regimen had an elevated serum level of ketone bodies on energy restriction days and lost weight over a 2-month period, during which asthma symptoms and airway resistance were mitigated…. Cells respond to intermittent fasting by engaging in a coordinated adaptive stress response that leads to increased expression of antioxidant defenses, DNA repair, protein quality control, mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy, and down-regulation of inflammation” — New England Journal of Medicine, 2019;381:2541-51. DOI:10.1056/NEJMra1905136
“De novo fatty acid biosynthesis contributes significantly to establishment of a bioenergetically favorable environment for vaccinia virus infection… these data indicate that vaccinia infection, and in particular virion assembly, relies on the synthesis and mitochondrial import of fatty acids, where their β-oxidation drives robust ATP production.” — PubMed ID# 24651651
You can also read more about intermittent fasting in articles on The Gut Health Protocol website and the Cancer: Improving Your Odds website.
- Mushrooms – Though all mushrooms have some value here (due to their immunomodulating properties and their very strong benefits to the microbiome) those classified as “medicinal” mushrooms provide the most benefit. I cover this topic extensively in my book and include over 140 scientific research citations that they have an amazing benefit to the immune system. I recommend a powder that contains a mix of medicinal mushrooms; look for a product that has been “hot water extracted” or “dual extracted” (if you can not find one then make a hot tea from the powder and steep for 10 minutes), made from the “fruiting body” is best.
“Antiviral effects are described not only for whole extracts of mushrooms but also for isolated compounds. They could be caused directly by inhibition of viral enzymes, synthesis of viral nucleic acids or adsorption and uptake of viruses into mammalian cells. These direct antiviral effects are exhibited especially by smaller molecules. Indirect antiviral effects are the result of the immunostimulating activity of polysaccharides or other complex molecules” — PubMed ID#PMC1193547
Do not underestimate the benefits of medicinal mushrooms, the research is very powerful. My favorite mix, and the one that we take daily, is called Sacred 7. We add this to coffee when brewing and mix with tea (and can be added to foods as well, even before cooking. But don’t use it as a flavoring agent, it is a little expensive for that). We also drink Chaga tea, cook with mushrooms and use culinary mushroom powders (which have some benefits and are far less expensive than medicinal mushrooms).
- Vitamin D – Vitamin D is a well known antiviral. Unlike prescription medicines it doesn’t poison cells, it gives them what they need to fight off infections. It has been known for centuries that getting some sun exposure (which causes our skin to make vitamin D) can help prevent and fight influenza as well as the common cold. I personally take 5,000 IUs per day in a supplement that also contains vitamin K2. (this is the one that we take but any vitamin D with K2 will do).
“Vitamin D increases the antiviral activity of bronchial epithelial cells… Despite lower vitamin D receptor levels in rhinovirus-infected epithelial cells, exogenous vitamin D increased antiviral defences most likely via cathelicidin and innate interferon pathways.” — PubMed ID#27838350
“This study confirmed an inverse association between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and age-adjusted all-cause mortality rates. Overall, individuals whose 25(OH)D concentrations were in the lowest quantile (0–9 ng/mL) had nearly twice the age-adjusted death rate as those in the highest quantile (> 35 ng/mL).” – PubMed ID#PMC4103214 (2014)
- Melatonin – Melatonin is produced by most cell types in the human body and is part of our circadian rhythm. It is often taken by people right before bed to help induce sleep. It has been known for years that it is an important part of the immune system. People low in melatonin are more susceptible to disease, including the common cold, influenza, West Nile (PubMed #7710351) and even certain cancers (PubMed #PMC5503661). Recently it has been theorized that the reason why children under the age of 9 have been largely protected against COVID-19 is that they produce up to ten times the amount of melatonin than someone over age 60. Protects against lung damage caused by viral induced inflammation (PubMed ID#26888116). It can even help protect the lungs against damage caused by mechanical ventilation machines (DOI: 10.1186/s12931-020-1325-2). This is one of those supplements with a very strong safety record that may really show some benefit. It is thought that it works even better when the vitamin C blood levels are are good. We take vitamin C in the morning, try to eat at least one serving of low sugar fruit with lunch or dinner (as well as vegetables) and then take 3mg of melatonin right before bed. Take 3mg per day for prevention, 6-9mg for treatment (both at bedtime).
“The possible beneficial effects of melatonin as adjuvant use in COVID-19 in anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, immune response regulation has been repeatedly demonstrated in respiratory disorder models induced by infections and associated complications. Melatonin has a high safety profile. Although the direct evidence of melatonin application in COVID-19 is unclear, both its use in experimental animal models and in studies on humans has continuously documented its efficacy and safety and its use by COVID-19 patients predictably would be highly beneficial.” — PubMed ID#PMC7102583 (3/2020)
- Vitamin C – There is evidence that moderate supplementation of vitamin C can help the body fight viral infections. Megadoses are not necessary (and for many people large oral doses will cause diarrhea, stomach upset, and acid reflux) and excess will simply be excreted. Therefore I only recommend supplementing 250mg per day as a prophylaxis, 500mg for treatment (any would require intravenous administration under the care of a doctor). Consuming low sugar fruits (such as avocado, tomato, lime, lemon, strawberries) and vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) are very good sources of vitamin C. There are dozens (if not hundreds) of studies on vitamin C and their benefits against viral lung infections (and the coronavirus is related to the common cold). Again, megadoses are not necessary to obtain benefits and may be detrimental. If supplementing, you may want to take a buffered variety to help avoid stomach upset; liposomal is suppose to be better absorbed, but also costs more. (we actually use an ascorbic acid powder, mixing a very small amount in with tea to brighten it up. Very inexpensive this way. But, again, any supplement will do, or just eat healthier foods) A liposomal vitamin C will have the best bioavailability.
“As demonstrated by our meta-analysis comparing vitamin C with placebo, the combination of supplemental and therapeutic doses of vitamin C works on the common cold, while there is no statistically significant difference between mere therapeutic doses of vitamin C and placebo. To be specific, administration of extra doses of vitamin C at the onset of a common cold could help reduce the duration by about half a day (MD = -0.56, 95% CI [-1.03, -0.10], and P = 0.02), shorten the time confined indoors by about 10 hours (MD = -0.41, 95% CI [-0.62, -0.19], and P = 0.0002), and relieve the symptoms of a common cold, including chest pain (MD = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.77, -0.03], and P = 0.03), fever (MD = -0.45, 95% CI [-0.78, -0.11], and P = 0.009), and chills (MD = -0.36, 95% CI [-0.65, -0.07], and P = 0.01). Because there was no statistical heterogeneity in improving symptoms noted among the comparisons (all I2’s = 0%), we can safely conclude that vitamin C is therapeutic to some degree.” — PubMed ID#PMC6057395
“vitamin C plays a critical role in vivo anti-viral immune responses against influenza virus through the increase of IFN-IL-1α/β production. Therefore, it might be possible that the maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin C in the plasma by the continuous uptake through the diet or supplement could effectively prevent in vivo pathogenesis of influenza virus at the initial stage of viral infection.” — PubMed ID#PMC3659258
- Zinc – 15-35mg per day. I prefer Zinc Carnosine, but acetate, gluconate or picolinate are also good. For someone with symptoms up to 75mg for up to 30 days. Zinc lozenges are preferred during treatment. Zinc is a well known antiviral and several studies showed benefits with SARS-CoV (the closely related coronavirus that causes SARS).
- Colostrum – It does have some lactoferrin, but not enough to use as a treatment. This is a better option for prevention. Colostrum is also an anti-inflammatory and in one study from 2007 they found it to be better at preventing the flu than immunizations. It has more going for it than lactoferrin, but isn’t as strong if you already are already infected. OK to take as a preventative, just know that it won’t give you super powers PubMed #17456621. Symbiotics Colostrum-LD (liposomal) is the one I’ve taken in the past, and we’ll start taking it if things get bad.
- Ashwagandha – “The biologically active constituents of Ashwagandha leaves include alkaloids, steroidal lactones and saponins that have been proposed to possess anti-stress, anti-oxidant, analgesic, immunomodulatory, adaptogenic and immunostimulant properties.” — PubMed ID#PMC3214041 (Amazon – try to get one with with a little black pepper extract)
- Selenium – Several studies have shown the a selenium insufficiency (or outright deficiency) can greatly impact the immune systems ability to fight viral infections. Many people do not get enough selenium in their diet so taking a supplement can be beneficial.
“selenium deficiency increases the pathogenicity and severity of infections by benign or mildly virulent strains of Coxsackie and influenza viruses, giving rise to multiple changes in the viral RNA. Thus, selenium is not only important to boost Th1-type host immunity against viral infections but, in addition, it appears to impede the evolution of more virulent strains of some viral pathogens” — PubMed ID#PMC4288282
- Fucoidan / Seaweed – “Kombu (as well as other brown seaweeds) and the fucoidan extract have been shown in various studies to be an immunomodulatory, to prevent and treat cancers, and to reduce inflammation. They are also anti-arthritic, radioprotective (they benefit people on radiation therapy), reduce osteoarthritis symptoms, inhibit the influenza virus, display potent antiviral activity against all forms of herpes, help prevent some of the cellular damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease, help protect cells from radiation and chemotherapy damage, and can help lower blood pressure.” — Cancer: Improving Your Odds (includes excerpts from several studies) I’m not real particular about the brand (Amazon).
- Curcumin – There is some research that curcumin has antiviral properties. However, this appears to only be effective with some viruses. There is some evidence that curcumin is somewhat effective against coronaviruses (PubMed ID#17663539) and adding it won’t hurt. I recommend a micronized version for improved bioavailability (Amazon)
- Light Exercise – you need to exercise your lungs as much as anything. So a brisk 10-15 minute walk each day will help. A little strength training can also help as it lowers glucose levels. You do not want to exercise to the point of fatigue or inflammation. You should also avoid exercising among people (dirty equipment, heavier/deeper breathing, etc. when you don’t know who around you might be sick). We have a little dog that loves walks, so that is what we do the most of. I also use a rebounder and weights. This is for prevention, not treatment.
Treatment Only
- Thiamine – Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is a known mild “Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor” which has been shown to improve pulmonary edema (one of the main side effects of COVID-19). Thiamine is very safe and can be used along side other treatments. Recommended dosage for treatment is 100mg every 6 hours. See research links here.
- Lactoferrin – This supplement is a well known antiviral and is found in the colostrum of mother’s milk (in most mammals). I do not recommend this for routine / preventative use as it also kills beneficial phages which help keep bad bacteria in check (thus why it is only found in the colostrum, not the milk that babies get later on). I recommend having it hand in case of exposure to the coronavirus, influenza, or the common cold. Life Extension Lactoferrin (apolactoferrin) is the one I recommend.
Avoid
- NSAIDS – This is a class of pain relievers that includes Aspirin (Bayer, Bufferin, Excedrin), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) and Naproxen (Aleve). Research out of France shows that these drugs can make COVID-19 worse. They also found that cortisone (also an anti-inflammatory) can also aggravate COVID-19. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) does not seem to be a problem and is the recommended pain reliever to take if you have COVID-19. (The Guardian) Update: The World Health Organization (WHO) has flip-flopped on this a few times, but both WHO and the FDA acknowledge that NSAIDS can lower your immune system’s ability to fight infections. Personally, I’m avoiding them if I get sick.
- AVOID FAKE CURES! – I’m seeing a lot of these making the rounds already. Many of these will make things worse, perhaps much worse! I provide a TON of research citations in my book Cancer: Improving Your Odds for everything I recommend. Everything above has good quality evidence that it helps improve your immune system (and again, only your immune system can beat the coronavirus, you can not poison it without killing your own cells. There are currently no shortcuts or drugs). I can not state this strongly enough, avoid any recommendation that does not have good scientific evidence of efficacy and safety. Now is not the time to <bleep> up your immune system!
- Avoid Alcohol, smoking, and sugar (as mentioned above). Men were much more likely to get COVID-19 and die from it in China than women. This is because over half of men in China drink and smoke, where less than 10% of women do.
Again, there are many natural substances that can help prevent viral infections or lessen their impact and duration. The ones included above are just a few and represent what my wife and I are doing to fight this outbreak.
Medical and CDC Recommendations
To avoid getting sick, or spreading it to others if you are sick, the CDC advises some common sense approaches:
- If you feel sick, do not go to work, classes, or attend events where you come into close contact with others.
- Contact your medical provider if you have a fever, respiratory distress, and/or flu-like symptoms.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Wash your hands before and after using the bathroom.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth and genitals with unwashed hands.
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow, shirt sleeve, or a tissue (not your hands). Throw used tissues into the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid sharing food, cups, utensils or other items.
- Treat all bodily fluids as potentially infectious.
- Eat a well-balanced diet and get adequate sleep.
- Standard surgical masks will not help very much in preventing the contraction of 2019-nCoV. They can, however, help prevent the spread if worn by someone that already has it (as they will block phlegm particles). A much more expensive mask (the N-95) can help prevent airborne exposure as part of an overall strategy. But most people not trained in disease prevention will most likely infect themselves anyway from touching the mask, face, clothing, hair, etc. Besides, they are quickly becoming unavailable to the public and are in very short supply.
They are also finding that the amount of initial exposure is also important. The more virus load you are exposed to the worse your symptoms will be (and the greater chance of dying). This is because your immune system needs time to learn how to attack this particular virus; if the virus gets a big head start it can then actually interfere with the immune system’s ability to learn how to fight this infection. So whatever you can do reduce the initial exposure is beneficial.
I hope you find this article helpful. The coronavirus has the potential to change the way we do life for years to come. But it is not as dangerous as you may be hearing; there are also some things that you can to improve your odds of lessening its impact and perhaps avoiding being one of those in the small majority that will die from it.
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Great video about the coronavirus and how to prevent infection.
Coronavirus: How to avoid catching Covid-19 and other illnesses on a flight
Resources – Medical and Research based
- CDC Prevention and Treatment page
- John Hopkins Dashboard of Coronavirus Cases
- World Health Organization Coronavirus Dashboard
- Latest health news and updates from the World Health Organization (WHO)
- British Medical Journal – Coronavirus Latest News and Resources
- US current hotspots showing people reporting symptoms (by county)
Latest Coronavirus News – Mainstream Media
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |