Simple Actions to Prevent Respiratory Illness

Simple Actions to Prevent Respiratory Illness

Below are two simple methods to keep handy for prevention or if you or your family member have been exposed to a respiratory virus such as COVID-19.

Method 1- Povidone Iodine Nose and Mouth Rinse

There is evidence that using a povidone iodine mouth and nose rinse can inactivate the COVID-19 virus and help stop transmission. 

Step 1: Buy your supplies. You will need Povidone Iodine from the drug store, a neti pot for the nasal rinse, and some filtered water. (Do not use distilled water for this unless you add a pinch of sea salt to it).

Step 2: Dilute your iodine. Add 2 Tablespoons of povidone-iodine to 1 cup of filtered water. This is a 1% iodine solution.

Step 3: Gargle with this solution for 30 seconds.

Step 4: Rinse your nose with this solution using a neti pot.

Perform this once a day for prevention, and once every 4 hours if you feel you may have been exposed to a respiratory illness. 

Method 2 – Nebulized Hydrogen Peroxide

Step 1: Make your saline. Either buy some sterile saline at the drug store or make your own by mixing 1 teaspoon of sea salt in 1 pint of filtered or distilled water.

Step 2: Get your hydrogen peroxide. You need 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide. You can buy this at the health food store. Don’t use regular drug store stuff as it has some irritants in it.

Step 3: Dilute the food-grade hydrogen peroxide in your saline. Put 1/4 teaspoon of the 35% food-grade hydrogen peroxide in 15 ounces of saline. This is a 0.1% solution of hydrogen peroxide. 

Step 4: Get a nebulizer. You can buy one at the drug store, Wal-Mart, or Amazon.

Step 5: Fill the nebulizer cup with your hydrogen peroxide solution and use it per the nebulizer instructions. Do this once a day.

Sources: 

Chopra, A., Sivaraman, K., Radhakrishnan, R., Balakrishnan, D., & Narayana, A. (2021). Can povidone iodine gargle/mouthrinse inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and decrease the risk of nosocomial and community transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based update. The Japanese dental science review, 57, 39–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdsr.2021.03.001

Cervantes Trejo, A., Castañeda, I. D., Rodríguez, A. C., Andrade Carmona, V. R., Mercado, M., Vale, L. S., Cruz, M., Barrero Castillero, S., Consuelo, L. C., & Di Silvio, M. (2021). Hydrogen Peroxide as an Adjuvant Therapy for COVID-19: A Case Series of Patients and Caregivers in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2021, 5592042. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5592042

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