Scientists have discovered that simple common cold viruses are so strong they can literally boot COVID to the curb, leading them to wonder if this could be a cure for ending COVID.
A cold is most commonly caused by human rhinoviruses, which are highly transmissible. The team at the Centre for Virus Research in Glasgow used a replica — made out of the same type of cells — which duplicates the lining of human airways. They then infected it with rhinovirus and Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. When rhinovirus and Sars-CoV-2 were released at the same time, only rhinovirus was successful, and even when the Sars-CoV-2 was given a 24-hour start, rhinovirus halted its invasion of the airways.
Researchers have wondered how the virus that causes COVID-19 would play out in a virus-to-virus interaction, but over a year of social distancing has slowed the spread of all viruses and stymied study efforts.
"Vaccination, plus hygiene measures, plus the interactions between viruses could lower the incidence of Sars-CoV-2 heavily, but the maximum effect will come from vaccination," said researcher Dr. Pablo Murcia.
SOURCE: BBC News March 23, 2021