Povidone-Iodine Solution as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Prophylaxis

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly transmissible and pathogenic coronavirus that emerged in late 2019 and has caused a pandemic of acute respiratory disease, named ‘coronavirus disease 2019’ (COVID-19), which threatens human health and public safety. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns of inadvertent SARS-CoV-2 transmission to healthcare providers during routine procedures of the aerodigestive tract in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. The oral cavity, an essential part of the upper aerodigestive tract and the mucosa of the upper and lower airways is believed to play an important role in the pathogenicity and transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Current efforts to mitigate this risk focus on Personal Protective Equipment, including high-efficiency filtration as well as other measures. Because the reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 shedding is in the nasopharynx and nasal and oral cavities, and a significant proportion of COVID 19 sufferers are asymptomatic, but shedding these viral particles, PVP-I has been shown to be a safe therapy when used as a mouthwash or taken nasally or used during ophthalmic surgeries. Numerous studies have confirmed that povidone-iodine inactivates many common respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-1. Povidone-iodine also has a good profile for mucosal tolerance. Thus, proposing a prophylactic treatment protocol for the application of topical povidone-iodine to the upper aerodigestive tract.