Summary
In 69 mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients, cycle-threshold values rose over days 1, 3 and 5 in every group, including the water control. The authors concluded that rinsing and gargling itself increased the value, so the active agents showed no clear added effect in this abstract.
Key points
- Cycle-threshold (Ct) values, where a higher value means less viral genetic material, rose from baseline to days 1, 3 and 5.
- The rise was seen in every group, including people who gargled with water.
- The authors conclude that rinsing and gargling with any of the solutions, water included, increased the Ct value.
- Participants gargled 15 mL for 30 seconds in the mouth and 30 seconds in the throat, three times a day for 5 days.
- Design: randomized, single-blind trial of 69 people with no symptoms or mild COVID-19 at Persahabatan General Hospital, five arms (1% and 0.5% povidone-iodine, 3% and 1.5% hydrogen peroxide, water).
- Funding: no grants; no competing interests.