Chewing gum that can reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus
Scientists say they have found a new way for people to protect themselves against Covid-19.
The University of Pennsylvania (USA) is testing a type of chewing gum that can act as a "net" to trap SARS-CoV-2 virus particles.
Research shows that this candy has the ability to limit the amount of virus in saliva and reduce transmission when infected people talk, breathe or cough.
The gum contains copies of the ACE2 protein found on cell surfaces, which is used by viruses to break into cells and infect them. In test tubes with saliva samples and cotton swabs from sick people, virus particles attached themselves to ACE2 in the gum.
Load recording resultsSARS-CoV-2 virusin the test samples was reduced by more than 95%.
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| Illustration: NBC |
Scientists say the gum feels and tastes just like regular gum, and can be stored for years at room temperature. Chewing does not damage the ACE2 protein molecules.
The gum isn’t yet available for general use, but the invention is a promising step toward limiting the spread of Covid-19 in people with the disease.
The authors say that using chewing gum to reduce the viral load in saliva would add to the benefits of vaccination and public health measures (masks, social distancing). If successful, the gum could be useful in countries where there are not enough Covid-19 vaccines.
Of course, the best thing people can do right now to protect themselves and others is to get fully vaccinated.
There are more than 258 million people infected with Covid-19 in the world, more than 5 million people died. Every day there are more than 500,000 new cases.
