As soon as the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, various “cures” and “preventative measures” began to flood the Internet. I still remember the first one: a self-test suggesting you hold your breath for ten seconds each morning to check for the virus. If you could do it, you were supposedly in the clear. Admittedly, there were mornings when fear got the best of me, and I held my breath just to feel a momentary relief. Yet, deep down, I knew better than to trust medical advice from a distant cousin via email.
The real danger of this self-test, as we now understand, is that being able to hold your breath has no correlation to COVID-19 status; not everyone infected with the virus experiences breathing difficulties. If you’re feeling unwell and avoiding a COVID test until you can hold your breath for ten seconds, you’re likely waiting too long.
Since those early days in March, countless dubious COVID-19 remedies have emerged: gargling salt water, taking unverified anti-malaria drugs without medical supervision, and even injecting bleach. (Please, don’t try any of these.)
Recently, two new “cures” have been circulating online, suggesting the use of baby shampoo as a nasal rinse and mouthwash as an oral rinse to deactivate the coronavirus. These ideas stem from a study published in the Journal of Medical Virology, where researchers found that a 1% baby shampoo nasal rinse could inactivate the virus in two minutes, while antiseptic mouthwash required only thirty seconds.
However, please resist the urge to squirt baby shampoo up your nose or think you’re protected from COVID-19 after using mouthwash. These claims lack substantial and credible research backing. While the study’s findings may appear promising, they come with significant limitations acknowledged by the authors, who caution, “Several possible limitations of this work must be acknowledged.”
Firstly, the study involved testing against a common coronavirus, not COVID-19, which is far more complex. Secondly, the research was conducted in a petri dish, which doesn’t accurately reflect the intricate environment of your nasal passages and mouth. What works in a lab setting may not translate to real-life human anatomy. Lastly, the act of rinsing might reduce the effectiveness of the shampoo or mouthwash by decreasing the contact time necessary to combat the virus.
The truth is, experts and non-experts alike are still trying to interpret these findings. Dr. Maria Thompson, a physician at Riverside Health Network, stated in an interview, “There may be a theoretical, minimal benefit. However, in terms of controlling the disease and its spread, this information is not particularly useful at present.” While this early research could lead to significant breakthroughs, it’s also uncertain.
In the meantime, it’s essential to use baby shampoo and mouthwash as directed. The manufacturers of Listerine, for instance, emphasize on their website that their mouthwash has not been tested against any coronavirus strains and should not be used as a hand sanitizer or surface disinfectant.
It’s crucial to remember that this study is preliminary and fraught with limitations. Nasal rinses and mouthwashes should never replace proven health measures like social distancing and wearing masks. The real risk of these untested “cures” is that they may give people a false sense of security, leading them to engage in riskier behavior.
We all wish to protect our loved ones and ourselves from this virus and yearn for a sense of control over our lives. However, none of these so-called remedies will help—most are based on preliminary studies, while others are simply fabrications from individuals with questionable intentions.
The best way to safeguard yourself against COVID-19 is to heed expert advice (not from forwarded emails) and to wear masks, maintain social distance, and avoid large gatherings.
For the latest information regarding COVID-19, visit reliable sources such as the Centers for Disease Control or Women’s Health, which provides excellent resources about pregnancy and home insemination. For more insights, check out this related blog post and explore the detailed offerings at Make a Mom.
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Summary:
This article emphasizes the dangers of relying on unproven remedies, like using baby shampoo or mouthwash as a defense against COVID-19. It underlines the necessity of adhering to scientifically backed health measures and consulting credible sources for information. Misleading “cures” can lead to false security, promoting reckless behavior in the fight against the virus.
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