Covid: catching a cold to fight against coronavirus better?

Published by Cécile de Sortiraparis · Published on March 30, 2021 at 03:11 p.m.
According to a study led by searchers from the Glasgow university in Scotland, catching a cold is said to help one’s body fight Covid-19 easier.

Unbelievable but true: if you caught Covid-19, the solution to help you recover quickly is to catch another virus! Searchers from the University of Glasgow in Scotland discovered that a cold – the same as in the winter you may catch regularly – can block the coronavirus action in one’s body, preventing it from developing in the organism.

These scientists explain rhinovirus block the action and spread of Covid-19 in one’s cells. A week of fever and headache to prevent a more serious and deadlier disease, an easy choice to make, it seems.

In their study released in Journal of Infectious Diseases, the Scottish scientists describe a two-step work method. They start by injecting rhinovirus (originating colds) in human respiratory cells, followed by another injection including Covid-19. They then noticed rhinovirus prevent coronavirus from developing in the cells.

They then reversed the process: first Covid-19, and then rhinovirus. Once again, the same reaction occurred: coronavirus has been highly curbed by the injection of rhinovirus.

Therefore, if most people around the world catch a cold, the spread of Covid-19 could be highly curbed, and it could help control it, and perhaps put an end to this pandemic.

But the issue is that since 2020, doctors have been pleased to see that winter diseases almost disappeared thanks to the health guidelines. For some, this is good news: influenza, gastroenteritis, or pneumonia do not do well with Covid-19. Yet, it also means there is a significant decrease in cold cases that now has unexpected defensive properties.

Does it mean doctors will soon ask to stop complying with health guidelines to make sure the people can catch a life-saving cold against the coronavirus epidemic? Nothing is less certain. Yet, it is possible new therapies are studied quickly following this incredible medical discovery.

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