With tests for the coronavirus still in in short supply, testing is limited to those at highest risk of infection and severe disease: patients who have severe symptoms and those who have had contact with a person known be infected or who recently traveled to another country, according to Clinical Options.
![coronavirus]()
The catch-22 is you probably don’t know if you’ve been in contact with a person who is carrying the virus since there’s a shortage of tests. To compound the problem, many who are infected don’t know they are infected because they have no symptoms.
In the meantime, as the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to spread around the world and until testing sites are readily available, you can take steps to protect your and your family’s health.
One way is to load up on vitamin C.
Right now, more than 80 clinical trials are underway testing remedies for the coronavirus ranging from intravenous vitamin C and stem cells to HIV drugs and malaria medication. In 2009, vitamin C infusions were shown to be a potentially lifesaving treatment against severe swine flu. Even before that, many studies had demonstrated the usefulness of vitamin C against infections of various kinds, including sepsis.
Sepsis kills 1 in 5 people worldwide each year and is one of the leading causes for influenza deaths.
A randomized double-blind study published in 1994 found elderly patients given 200 milligrams of vitamin C per day while hospitalized for acute respiratory infection fared significantly better than those receiving a placebo.
A derivative of quercetin — a powerful immune booster and broad-spectrum antiviral — has been shown to provide broad-spectrum protection against a wide range of viruses, including SARS. A study is now underway to assess the effectiveness of quercetin against COVID-19 infection.
At this time, there are no clinical trials investigating vitamin D for coronavirus specifically, but there are plenty of data showing it’s an important component in the prevention and treatment of influenza and upper respiratory tract infections.
As the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, researchers are feverishly searching for effective remedies.
Supplements and other nutraceuticals thought to be useful in the prevention of coronavirus infection include NAC, spirulina, elderberry, spirulina, beta-glucan, glucosamine, selenium, zinc, lipoic acid, sulforaphane, resveratrol, vitamin D, Bifidobacterium bifidum strain probiotics and sporebiotics.
To maintain overall good health during this time of high stress and anxiety, remember to exercise, get a good night’s sleep, eat nutritious food and find a stress reliever, be it meditation, spending time in nature, journaling, yoga, a favorite hobby, meditation — or whatever else works for you.
And, it’s difficult these days, but maintaining a positive attitude and finding something to be thankful for every day will do wonders to relieve your anxiety.