The use of hydrogen peroxide has proven to provide immediate protection against Covid-19, a new research has shown.
According to the study, “A Case for Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash and Gargle to Limit SARS-CoV-2 Infection” the ‘traditional’ oral hygiene fluid which is inexpensive, readily available, and safe to use in low concentrations could be applied to reduce viral load in the oral and nasal cavities of Covid-19 patients and to inactivate the viruses they shed.
This, the study indicated, would protect contacts of Covid-19 patients and, especially, health workers from being infected.
Research team leader, Rev. Emeritus Prof. Andrews Seth Ayettey Retired Professor, University of Ghana Medical School, College of Health Sciences, in a release said a 1per cent nebulized hydrogen peroxide that would reach all parts of the respiratory tract including the alveoli could prove helpful in management of patients with early signs and symptoms of Covid-19.
He said in the on-going observational studies, the research team has become even more convinced about the efficacy of this solution, realizing that eight frontline nurses in the Covid-19 management team at a District Hospital using hydrogen peroxide had not contracted the disease and had tested negative since May 2020.
However, he indicated that in comparison, 62 of their colleagues not using peroxide had contracted the disease by end of December 2020.
“We are, therefore, more emboldened to recommend the use of hydrogen peroxide to protect against Covid-19, alongside the public health protocols and other remedies being actively promoted by government,” he said.
Preparation of Hydrogen Peroxide
Showing how a 1 per cent hydrogen peroxide oral fluid can be prepared from a 6 per cent stock solution in the bottle from the pharmacy, he said, “take one part of hydrogen peroxide and add to it five parts of water. Use a tablespoonful of it to mouthwash and gargle for one minute after brushing teeth just before bed and spit out the fluid.
Then take one part of the 1% solution and add one part of water to it. This gives you 0.5% hydrogen peroxide. Place a few drops into each nostril with your head tilted backwards. A pipette, like that used in administering multivitamins to babies, might help. Wait for one minute and wash out the nose with ordinary water.”
He again stated that for individuals who have difficulty in swallowing, hydrogen peroxide spray could be used.
“Alternately, mouth cleaning could be done with gauze soaked in hydrogen peroxide. The same could be done for children under 12 years of age,” he added.
Rev. Emeritus Prof. Ayettey further noted that as the country faces the challenge of coping with Covid-19 and the emergence of more transmissible and deadly strains of the SARS-CoV-2 causing that disease, it is imperative to explore all remedies that could offer reasonable protection and aid in treatment, in addition to the established public health measures outlined by government.
“We pray that these recommendations complement efforts of government to protect citizens from this disease,” he said.
The study was conducted by a team of doctors and medical scientists with backgrounds in virology, immunology, biochemistry, oral health, oncology, medicine, and therapeutics, discovered from the literature that these viruses are inactivated with low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri