COVID=19 UPDATE for April 23rd:
2. It may be that the main therapeutic action of HCQ is to escort zinc into the cells. This makes HCQ what is known as a zinc ionophore; but there are other zinc ionophors, including quercetin and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), derived from green tea. In fact, there are probably hundreds of polyphenols in a natural foods diet that enhance the transport of zinc into infected cells to limit the severity of this pandemic. [REF 1]
3. Regarding our recommendation to supplement with 30 to 50 mg/d of zinc (as gluconate or acetate). Warnings are appearing on the internet that this amount might cause a deficiency of copper, as the two elements compete for binding sites. Natalie and I want to point out that because copper deficiency is rare and zinc deficiency is common, this should not be a concern. Recommendations for 75 to 100 mg of zinc per day such as listed in the Eastern Virginia School of Medicine protocol, should only be done for 2 to 3 weeks.
4. The road ahead. Researchers around the world are trying to answer key questions that will help us overcome this incredible challenge.
In the meantime, Natalie and I fully support the comprehensive and insightful work of www.covidexitstrategy.org. This is a different virus. Aside from its lethality, we are learning that asymptomatic people not only can transmit the disease, but that this is the most common vector. Models from China showed 79% of transmission was via asymptomatics. And peak infectiousness appears to occur 2 days prior to symptoms. [REF 2]
A study out of Italy where an entire town was tested, showed that one asymptomatic spreader can spread Covid-19 to – not hundreds, but thousands. Since about 40% of those people have no symptoms, they are less likely to stay home or maintain social distancing. [REF 3]
Stay home protesters argue that factoring in asymptomatics means that COVID-19 is less deadly since the case fatality rates (CFR) is lower. But this feature actually makes it more deadly, not to the young healthy protestors, but to their elderly neighbors and family members with asthma, bronchitis or heart disease.
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