Jan 10, 2022
It should come as no surprise that in large numbers, it seems almost everyone is contracting COVID-19, the Omicron variant. The US CDC anticipates this new strain to account for 93% or more of the current cases. Fortunately, infection with this strain produces a considerably less severe illness than the prior variants, particularly the Delta strain.
Most patients now get through the illness with simple over-the-counter measures and without the need for prescription medications or monoclonal antibodies. For severe cases in seniors or those with many background medications, the monoclonal antibody to seek is sotrivimab from GSK. This product was designed to be more effective against mutant strains.
By now, everyone should know the most effective initial treatment to handle the rapidly replicating Omicron virus in the nasal cavity is nasal and oral rinses with viricidal solutions. The lead agents are dilute povidone-iodine (1:10 dilution from a 10% povidone-iodine bottled product) or dilute hydrogen peroxide (1:3 dilution from standard off the shelf bottle).
> Dilute Povidone-Iodine Nasal/Oral Washes for the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19
These solutions must be sniffed back in a good quantity to the back of the throat and then spit out and done twice in each nostril up to every four hours when sick. The remainder of the solution can be gargled and then spit out. None should be swallowed. At the two-year mark in the pandemic, no one in the world should be surprised or scrambling for supplies the day they come home with a positive COVID-19 test result.
On this week’s program, we have “Nurse Rona” Michele from @TreatRonaAtHome, who has developed a broad following on social media and in local practice where she has helped so many with early home management of COVID-19, particularly our seniors, where the intensity and duration of symptoms are reduced, and by that mechanism, the risks of hospitalization and death are lowered.
We also have the return of our music segment where listeners send in suggested music reflecting the issues of the day. This week we have contributions by Matt Brevner and guitarist legend Eric Clapton with his most recent release “Heart of a Child.”