Published: National Institutes of Health, April 8, 2021

Researcher: AMostafa Kamal Arefin

Title: Povidone Iodine (PVP-I) Oro-Nasal Spray: An Effective Shield for COVID-19 Protection for Health Care Worker (HCW), for all

Abstract: SARS- CoV-2 or novel coronavirus enters in human body through nose and mouth, stays there for a while. Then binds with ACE2 receptor, enters inside cell, multiply there and manifests. Again, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone or Povidone Iodine (PVP-I) is a strong microbicidal agent having 99.99% virucidal efficacy in its only 0.23% concentration, irrespective of all known viruses, even in SARS- CoV-2 (in vitro). An oro-nasal spray is designed to apply the PVP-I in nose and oral cavity to gain a protective layer or coating over nasal and oral mucosa, so that SARS-CoV-2 can’t bind with the ACE-2 receptor and prevent their entry inside. So, it will be effective for prevention of COVID-19. Moreover, as PVP-I has the ability for destruction of SARS-CoV-2, transmission of SARS- CoV-2 from patient will be reduced also. Thus PVP-I oro-nasal spray can act as an effective shield for COVID-19 protection for healthcare workers, for all.

Background: . . . Here, an effective and safe Oro-Nasal Spray is designed to apply the PVP-I in nose and oral cavity to gain a protective layer or coating over nasal and oral mucosa, so that SARS-CoV-2 can’t bind with the ACE-2 receptor and prevent their entry inside. Thus it will be effective for prevention of COVID-19. Moreover, as PVP-I has the ability for destruction of SARS-CoV-2, transmission of SARS- CoV-2 will be reduced also . . .

Oro-Nasal Spray: . . . In Japan, 0.45% PVP-I throat spray is being used since long for prevention of cold and sore throat treatment. Gargling with PVP-I or spraying the throat with PVP-I is encouraged and included in their national respiratory guideline [9, 10]. . .

Safety of PVP-I Oro-Nasal sprays: Oral PVP-I gargle, throat spray, nasal spray formulations are currently available as over-the-counter medications in many countries, including Japan and Canada. PVP-I in low concentrations has not been known to stain teeth or to cause any major adverse effect. PVP-I oronasal spray should better to avoid in patients with iodine allergy or those undergoing radioiodine treatment or thyroid dysfunction. In a study PVP-I is proved ciliotoxic in concentrations of 5% and 10%, but not in proposed low concentration 8. . .

My Experience with PVP-I in COVID-19 Era: HCWs (Health Care Workers) of multiple hospitals or institutes of different parts of the world are using PVP-I in different form for protection from SARS-CoV-2. In Bangladesh authorities or individual doctors of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, National Institute of ENT, Bangladesh ENT Hospital, ENT and Head Neck Cancer Hospital and most of the ENT, dental or maxillofacial related health care professionals adopted this policies in different extent. . .

Full Paper At The National Institutes of Health: “Povidone Iodine (PVP-I) Oro-Nasal Spray: An Effective Shield for COVID-19 Protection for Health Care Worker (HCW), for all“.