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    • Mar 17, 2020
    • 11 min read

FAQ Coronavirus 2019: Myths, Symptoms, Prevention, and Immune Boosting Recommendations

UPDATED - 3-24-2020 by: Erik Lundquist, MD


Like it or not, coronavirus is descending upon us. School closing, travel bans, and quarantines are happening in and to the majorly affected countries. There is good news and bad news surrounding coronavirus, officially called COVID-19, right now.

The bad news is that it continues to spread worldwide.


Coronavirus, COVID-19 - Temecula Center for Integrative Medicine

Question: What is a pandemic?

A pandemic is when an infection has traveled to multiple countries. COVID-19 is now in almost every country worldwide with hundreds of thousands of total cases.


Question: what is a coronavirus?

Coronavirus is one of the most common causes of the common cold. However, this is a new strain of Coronavirus and what makes this particular strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, deadly, is that it gets down into the base of the lungs and causes the immune system to become overactive. Then, the immune system releases lots of inflammatory chemicals that lead to increased mucus and fluid production in the lungs. If this happens, it leads to a scenario called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in those who are more susceptible. Currently, approximately 20% of infected individuals are developing SARS.


Check out this link to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOV1aBVYKGA&feature=youtu.be


Question: how is coronavirus transmitted?

COVID-19 is highly contagious and transmitted by respiratory droplets. This is why it is so important to protect yourself from getting coughed on, sneezed on or by touching items that someone may have touched after coughing or sneezing.


Question: What are the most common symptoms?

An article released by the Lancet on some of the first infected with COVID-19 from the Wuhan, China area became the world’s first detailed case analysis. Chen and colleagues looked at 99 individuals and reported that fever (83%), cough (82%), and shortness of breath (31%) were the most common symptoms among the patients. Other symptoms included muscle ache (11%), confusion (9%), headache (8%), sore throat (5%), rhinorrhea (4%), chest pain (2%), diarrhea (2%), and nausea and vomiting (1%). NEW REPORTS OUT OF NYC SHOW THAT ALMOST 50% OF PATIENTS HAVE GI SYMPTOMS.


Question: what is the incubation time and infection time?

The incubation time is still unclear but it is assumed that it is somewhere between 4-10 days once exposed and it can last for at least two weeks. However, there are some people who are shedding virus who do not have any symptoms. Therefore, quarantine of exposed individuals is 14 days. For infected individuals it is recommended to be quarantined for 14 days and then to get retested before going back out into the community.


Question: if I have been exposed should I be quarantined?

See above.


Question: who is most at risk?

Individuals who are at most risk for developing SARS are smokers, and/or people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or cardiovascular disease or diabetes. It seems to be affecting men twice as often as women. Also risks significantly increase with increasing age starting around 50 years old.


Question: What is the death rate?

The other bad news is that it appears to have a mortality rate of somewhere between 0.5% and 6% depending on age and country. To put this in perspective the flu kills approximately 0.1%, meaning 1 person out of 1000 infected. COVID-19 kills at least 5 times more at the low rate and up to 60 times more in the higher rate. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30195-X/fulltext


Question: What can I do to enhance my immune system?

Caveat: All recommendations should be taken with an understanding that they are recommendations to help strengthen one’s immune system and support the body in eliminating environmental toxins through natural means.


The following vitamins, botanicals, mushroom extracts, and probiotics have been shown in vitro, and in animal and some human studies to enhance the immune system in one or more of the following:


  1. Enhance barrier integrity: improve the lining of our respiratory tract, gut, blood-brain barrier, and skin.

  2. Increase production of antimicrobial peptides: small amino acid linked chains that fight against infections.

  3. Promote phagocytosis: a process when white blood cells, such as macrophages, are better able to recognize and consume infected cells, microbes and/or viral capsids.

  4. Decrease inflammation and restore redox balance: lots of oxygen free radicals lead to immune imbalance and increased inflammatory products.

  5. Activate intracellular defense pathways: a process that allows cells that take on bacteria to kill them before they can replicate or cause damage (Nrf2 and SIRT1 activation.)


Immune Boosting Prevention Recommendations


Essentials:



Also, Consider:


  • Beta Glucan - 250 mg, 1 capsule per day.