As doctors with extensive experience in medical practice, we want to suggest the following initial treatment with the aim of trying to stop, the progression of the Coronavirus.
Currently, as we are all in quarantine, we can still catch a cold as usual. Nevertheless, if fever, body aches, and especially dry cough appear, we recommend the prompt application of the following treatment:
Pour some water in a saucepan, the smaller the better, pour until the water reaches about 1/5 cm high. Once the water boils, add 2 or 3 drops of IODINE. It can be bought at a pharmacy. By covering the top of your head with a towel, approach the pot taking care of not getting too close in order to avoid burning yourself and take slow deep breaths through your mouth, alternating with inspirations through your nose. Repeat the procedure several times in order to fill your respiratory tract with the iodine.
If you already feel the first symptoms, this can be practiced 2-3 times a day for about 2 minutes. You can also add about 2 leaves of Eucalyptus and/or chamomile flowers and continue another 2 minutes breathing deeply.
These home remedies have been very efficient in treating respiratory diseases for a long time.
IODINE is a formidable disinfectant and also an excellent mucolytic.
Eucalyptus has antibacterial properties and is also a perfume. It also has flavonoids (anti-oxidants) and tannins (anti-inflammatory).
Chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties.
At IPPA we used large vaporizing equipment that the late Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Castillo (Sr) named “Thermo Fog”, which used a venturi tube to introduce the medicine in the vaporizer. There are also currently small commercial vaporizers that could be used in this way. But the use of the pot as described above, allows anyone with limited resources to receive this treatment.
The important thing is that this technique be applied when presenting any of the first symptoms of fever, malaise, body aches and especially cough.
We also recommend this to be done as soon as you come back home after going out in the quarantine, and after washing your hands as well as taking care of all the contaminated things you were carrying.
This technique could allow us in many cases, (although not in all) to slow down the progress of this terrible disease when it is still in the throat, trachea, bronchi and thus alleviate the overload of hospitals, which can be exceeded, as it is happening in many countries. The Bolivian Government has acted quickly, decreeing quarantine, which has allowed the level of infections to be non-explosive and Google has ranked us top in the quarantine application.
Be aware that some people can be allergic to iodine and should avoid it, but luckily there are not too many. It is important to note that for those with doubts, SENSITIVITY TO IODINE should first be tested with a drop of iodine placed on the mucosae or the skin on the interior of the mouth (pull out upper lip). If no reactions appear after 30 mins, the procedure is safe to carry out.
We make this medical recommendation in order to help the Bolivian population. A Bolivian woman in Spain reported on WhatsApp that this treatment helped her a lot to cope with her Coronavirus disease. Of course she is a young person, but she reported that it helped her breathe at the stage when there was already serious lung compromise. She was examined in a hospital but was sent to her home, where she achieved her full recovery. She did not use Iodine.
There is no scientific proof of the effectiveness of this procedure, however, centuries of experience treating colds, have taught us that it may have a favorable effect. Furthermore, since Coronavirus has a predilection for the alveolar cells, this seems a rational targeting strategy.
There are also other interesting factors that have been published on April 5, 2020 in the digital Bolivian newspaper La Razón. This article is about the wonderful protective effect of Ultra-Violet radiation in high-altitude cities in relation to the Coronavirus.
As everyone on the planet knows, the coronavirus has attacked in a fierce way, due to its high speed of contagion and its physical characteristics. The advanced countries of the first world have suffered the impact in an alarming way. And they are fighting an almost uncontrollable battle.
In Bolivia, the Government has correctly made rapid quarantine decisions, which constitute an essential measure in order to avoid the subsequent overload of medical centers and especially intensive care units, which are very limited.
This is not an easy measure to carry out and understand in its complexity, but it is a fundamental defense mechanism to flatten the incidence curve. That is, instead of being initially exponential or hyperexponential (as I have called it, because it does not double every time, but one person can infect many at once), shooting upwards, it becomes a flattened quasi-logarithmic progression. In other words, a mathematical change occurs, very important in its evolution.
Ultra-violet radiation, a component of light that comes from the sun, is very strong at high altitudes in cities above 3,000 meters above sea level (especially) such as La Paz (3,100-4,100), El Alto (4000-4100), Oruro (3,800) and Potosí (4,000), in Bolivia.
The ultraviolet radiation index (UVindex) is considered to be at extreme levels in La Paz, as we found in a publication with Danish colleagues more than 10 years ago in the following graph, where the top line is La Paz, Bolivia 3,600, and the bottom Copenhagen, Denmark
Radiacion Ultravioleta
Footnote: Kessel, L., Kofoed, PC, Zubieta-Calleja, GR & Larsen, M. Acta Opthalmologica.88 (2): 235-40, March 2009.
As an expert in altitude medicine, I was invited by Prof. Kusal Das to participate in the UNESCO International Forum on COVID-19 with Chairman Prof. Sinerik Ayrapetyan, on Friday, March 27.
Various experts spoke about the molecular characteristics of the coronavirus, of the incidences in their countries, such as Italy, the United States, India and Iran, among others. The mechanisms of action of the virus were analyzed and the search for different treatment techniques was discussed, taking into account many characteristics of the virus.
Next I expose part of what I exposed:
1) Ultraviolet radiation is a protection factor against this virus, because it is lethal. One of the ways the disease is transmitted is because it sits on surfaces where it stays alive for several hours and possibly even days.
But at high-altitude, solar radiation constitutes a sterilizer of all surfaces where the sun falls. That is why the streets in high-altitude cities benefit from this physical characteristic. As an expert, I always said that ultraviolet radiation was beneficial.
Of course, some are afraid of sun exposure because it could lead to skin cancer, but there are no systematic studies to prove these claims. The body adapts to the highest levels of radiation; otherwise people living in the highlands would have a high incidence of cancer, from a long time ago and nowadays.
Quite the contrary, ultraviolet radiation is now a formidable mechanism for our defense against the virus.
2) Dr. Jorge Solíz, from Laval University, Canada, also observed that in China there were no cases or they were very rare in the Tibet area. Together with other colleagues we are writing a scientific article on this topic. Dr. Kusal Das, from BLDE University, in India, where I am a “visiting professor”, likewise noted that there is lower incidence in high altitude areas in his country.
3) In December 2018 we published with my collaborator Dr. Natalia Zubieta de Urioste an article in relation to the advantages of life at high-altitude, in which we affirm that man lives longer at high-altitude.
We demonstrate this with a longevity graph in all Bolivian cities (based on Segip , local citizen registration office, data), which shows an upward curve starting in Pando at 300m and ending in Potosí at 4100m. In it we also mention the advantages of ultraviolet radiation at high-altitude.
4) Ultraviolet lights are currently being built for use in hospitals and intensive care rooms. Even a Bolivian company in Santa Cruz, whom I congratulate.
5) The low incidence of infections in Oruro, undoubtedly, is due to a strict quarantine (if I’m not mistaken, the first in the country). It deserves our recognition because at the moment the initial eight cases have not increased, with only “patient zero” is an imported case in Oruro).
But I must add that ultraviolet radiation, our ally in high-altitude cities, is also playing an important role. This does not mean, however, that other cases may not appear eventually, because there are many variables, but at the end of this pandemic the statistics will most likely show thatat high-altitude there was a lower incidence.
This does not mean, however, that you must let your guard down. There are also other technical aspects of adaptation to height that we will mention very shortly.
6) On January 30, 2020, in an interview with University Radio-Tv, thanks to a kind invitation from Johnny Villarroel, who directs the Disarmed Discourse program, in which Gonzalo Taboada, president of the Bolivian Academy of Sciences also participated , I stated the following:
That coronavirus treatment centers, with intensive care rooms, should be installed in remote and isolated areas of the cities so as to avoid contamination. I recommended that patients not be taken to centrally located hospitals, leaving them free to care for common illnesses.
In the case of La Paz, I suggested that it be in the highlands, precisely because there is more ultraviolet radiation there. But I also made a recommendation: subsequently, intensive therapy treatment rooms should have a partially glass ceiling, like skylights, to allow ultraviolet light to enter, in order to sterilize the environment in a natural way.
Hopefully in the future the importance of these suggestions will be understood.
7) The following graph shows the evolution of coronavirus infections in Bolivia in which it is clearly observed that in high-altitude cities (with broken lines) there is less incidence as a function of time:
8) It is also recommended that when someone arrives at home and takes off the clothes used on the street, they should expose them to the sun during this stage. This will allow the virus to be removed quickly (possibly 1/2 hour).
9) It is important to mention that, as inhabitants of the highlands, if one were to suffer a very severe case of CoVid-2 that evolves favorably, thanks to the treatments of the heroic doctors, nurses and health personnel in the highland areas, the consequences of the lung lesions could leave fibrosis (scars), hindering exercise capacity.
These people would develop a Chronic Mountain Sickness (PoliEritroCitemia),in more than a month and a half, which is a compensatory mechanism against chronic respiratory insufficiency, .
Several are likely to be able to stay and develop their lives normally at high-altitude with proper medical care.
Finally, I must add that you should not let your guard down, because although there are fewer cases at altitude, there are cases, of course, and we must all respect the quarantine.
He is a doctor, professor and director of the High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute (IPPA)
Las ventajas de la radiación ultravioleta en el control del coronavirus en la altura
En Bolivia, el Gobierno ha tomado correctamente decisiones rápidas de cuarentena, que se constituyen una medida esencial a fin de evitar la sobrecarga posterior de los centros médicos y sobretodo de las unidades de terapia intensiva, que son muy limitadas
Como todos en el planeta sabemos, el coronavirus ha atacado de una forma feroz, por su gran velocidad de contagio y sus características físicas. Los países avanzados del primer mundo han sufrido el impacto de una manera alarmante. Y están librando una batalla casi incontrolable.
En Bolivia, el Gobierno ha tomado correctamente decisiones rápidas de cuarentena, que se constituyen una medida esencial a fin de evitar la sobrecarga posterior de los centros médicos y sobretodo de las unidades de terapia intensiva, que son muy limitadas.
Ésta no es una medida fácil de llevar a cabo y entenderla en su complejidad, pero es un mecanismo de defensa fundamental para aplanar la curva de incidencia. Es decir, en vez de que sea inicialmente exponencial o hiperexponencial (como la he denominado, porque no se dobla cada vez, sino una persona puede contagiar a muchos a la vez), disparándose hacia arriba, se la vuelve una progresión cuasi logarítmica aplanada.
Es decir se produce un cambio matemático, muy importante en su evolución. La radiación ultra-violeta, componente de la luz que proviene del sol, es muy fuerte en la altura en las ciudades por encima de los 3.000 msnm (sobretodo) como La Paz (3.100-4.100), El Alto (4000-4100), Oruro (3.800) y Potosí (4000), en Bolivia.
Se considera que el índice de radiación ultravioleta (UVindex) está en niveles extremos en La Paz, como lo constatamos en una publicación con unos colegas daneses hace más de 10 años en la siguiente gráfica, donde la línea delgada es La Paz, Bolivia 3.600, y la gruesa Copenhagen, Dinamarca
Pie de gráfica: Kessel, L., Kofoed, P.C., Zubieta-Calleja, G.R. & Larsen, M. Acta Opthalmologica.88(2):235-40, March 2009.
Como experto en medicina de altura fui invitado a participar en el Forum Internacional sobre COVID-19 de la UNESCO, el viernes 27 de marzo, como único exponente de toda Sudamérica.
Diversos expertos hablaron sobre las características moleculares del coronavirus, de las incidencias en sus países, como Italia, Estados Unidos, India e Irán, entre otros. Se analizaron los mecanismos de acción del virus y se discute la búsqueda de diferentes técnicas de tratamiento, tomando en cuenta muchas características del virus.
A continuación expongo parte de lo que expuse:
1) La radiación ultravioleta es un factor de protección ante este virus, porque le resulta letal. Una de las formas de transmisión de la enfermedad es porque se asienta en superficies donde se mantiene con vida durante varias horas y posiblemente hasta días.
Pero en la altura, la radiación solar se constituye en un esterilizador de toda superficie donde cae el sol. Por eso las calles en las ciudades de altura se benefician de esta característica física de la altura. Como experto, siempre dije que la radiación ultravioleta era beneficiosa.
Por supuesto que algunos tienen miedo de exponerse al sol porque podría producir cáncer de la piel, pero no existen estudios sistemáticos que prueben estas afirmaciones. El organismo se adapta a los niveles más altos de radiación; de otra manera la gente que vive en el altiplano tendría mucha incidencia de cáncer, desde antes y en la actualidad.
Al contrario, la radiación ultravioleta ahora resulta un mecanismo formidable para nuestra defensa ante el virus.
2) El doctor Jorge Solíz, de Universidad de Laval, de Canadá, también observó que en China no hubo casos o fueron muy raros en la zona del Tíbet.
En forma conjunta con otros colegas estamos escribiendo un artículo científico sobre este tema. El doctor Kusal Das, de la BLDE University, en India, donde soy “professor visitante”, también notó que en las zonas de altura en su país hay menor incidencia.
3) En diciembre de 2018 publicamos con mi colaboradora la doctora Natalia Zubieta de Urioste un artículo en relación a las ventajas de la vida en la altura, en el que afirmamos que el hombre vive más largo en la altura.
Lo demostramos con un gráfico de longevidad en todas las ciudades de Bolivia (basada en datos del Segip), que muestra una curva ascendente empezando en Pando y terminado en Potosí.
Allí también mencionamos las ventajas de la radiación ultravioleta en la altura.
4) Actualmente se están construyendo luces ultravioleta para utilizar en los hospitales y salas de terapia intensiva. Incluso una compañía boliviana en Santa Cruz, a la que felicito.
5) La baja incidencia de contagios en Oruro, indudablemente, se debe a una cuarentena estricta (si no me equivoco, la primera en el país), que merece nuestro reconocimiento porque por el momento no han aumentado los ocho casos iniciales, que de los cuales, según tengo entendido, varios fueron importados por viajeros al exterior (ndR: solo la “paciente cero” es caso importado en Oruro).
Pero debo añadir que también está jugando un rol importante la radiación ultravioleta, nuestro aliado en las ciudades de altura. Eso no significa, sin embargo, que no puedan aparecen otros casos eventualmente, porque existen muchas variables, pero al final de esta pandemia las estadísticas muy probablemente demostrarán que en los lugares de altura hubo menor incidencia.
Esto no significa, sin embargo, que se debe bajar la guardia. También existen otros aspectos técnicos de adaptación a la altura que mencionaremos en una futura oportunidad.
6) El 30 de enero de 2020, en una entrevista de Radio-Tv Universitaria, gracias a una gentil invitación de Johnny Villarroel, quien dirige el programa Desarmado Discursivo, en el que también participó Gonzalo Taboada, presidente de la Academia de Ciencias de Bolivia, afirmé lo siguiente:
Que se deben instalar centros de tratamiento del coronavirus, con salas de terapia intensiva, en áreas alejadas y aisladas de las ciudades para no contaminar. Recomendé que no se lleven a los pacientes a los hospitales centralmente localizados, para dejarlos éstos libres para la atención de las enfermedades habituales.
En el caso de La Paz, sugerí que sea en el altiplano, justamente porque allí existe mayor radiación ultravioleta. Pero además hice una recomendación: posteriormente, las salas de tratamiento de terapia intensiva deberían tener el techo parcialmente de vidrio, como unas claraboyas, para permitir el ingreso de la luz ultravioleta, con el fin de producir la esterilización del ambiente en una forma natural.
Ojalá en el futuro se comprenda la importancia de estas sugerencias.
7) La siguiente gráfica muestra la evolución de las infecciones del coronavirus en Bolivia en la que se observa claramente que en las ciudades de altura (con líneas entrecortadas) hay menor incidencia en función del tiempo:
8) También se recomienda que cuando alguien llegue a su casa y se saque la ropa que usó en la calle, debe exponerla al sol durante esta etapa. Esto permitirá que el virus sea eliminado rápidamente.
9) Es importante mencionar que, como habitantes de la altura, si se llegara a sufrir un caso muy severo que al final evolucionara favorablemente, gracias a los tratamientos de los heroicos médicos, enfermeras y personal de salud en las zonas de altura, las secuelas de las lesiones pulmonares podrían dejar fibrosis (cicatrices), dificultando la capacidad para el ejercicio.
Estas personas desarrollarían en el lapso de más de un mes y medio una poliglobulia (PoliEritroCitemia), que es un mecanismo de compensación frente a la insuficiencia respiratoria crónica.
Es probable que varios puedan permanecer y desarrollar su vida normalmente en la altura con un cuidado médico adecuado.
Finalmente, debo añadir que no se debe bajar la guardia, porque aunque son menos los casos en la altura, existen casos y debemos respetar todos la cuarentena.
Otras recomendaciones pueden ser encontradas en línea en nuestra página web: http://altitudeclinic.com/blog
Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja
Es médico, profesor y director del Instituto Pulmonar y Patología en la Altura (IPPA)
On June 3, 2020, above please note that the incidence in Santa Cruz (2.7 million inhabitants) at 400m above sea level IN GREEN is much higher [12.0 times more] than in the cities of La Paz and El Alto (2.7 million inhabitants) at 3,100m to 4,100mIN DASHED BLUE.
Also, in Beni at 150m IN LIGHT BLUE with only 420,000 inhabitants, (6 times less than in La Paz), already has 3.3 times more cases of COVID-19.
The first graph above is the updated Bolivia SARS-CoVid-2 situation, with the high-altitude low incidence focus. It is linked to our paper
Christian Arias-Reyes1, Natalia Zubieta-DeUrioste2, Liliana Poma-Machicao1, Fernanda Aliaga-Raudan1, Favio Carvajal-Rodriguez1, Mathias Dutschman4, Edith M. Schneider-Gasser3, Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja*2, Jorge Soliz*1,2
1- Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ), Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada. 2- High Altitude Pulmonary and Pathology Institute IPPA. La Paz, Bolivia. 3- Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse-Faculty University of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 260.
4- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Gate 11 Royal Parade, 3052, University of Melbourne Victoria, Australia
It is an original idea by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja so that COBID-19 information be up-to-date for all readers of our article until the Pandemia stops. Consequently, this scientific article does not become out-dated. Below, is the incidence difference between the lowland cities in Bolivia and that above 3,000m (dashed lines).
The figure below was developed by Favio Carvajal-Rodríguez.
Bolivia incidence as of April 6th, 2020.
Please read the original newspaper article by Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja where he is the first in the world to propose that the Coronovirus will have a lower incidence at high altitude:
Extended Longevity at High Altitude published in Dec 2017 at BLDE J where Prof. Dr. Gustavo Zubieta-Calleja expressed for the first time that at high altitude Ultra-Violet radiation serves as an environmental disinfection. These original concepts gave birth to the concept that Coronavirus can have a lower incidence at high altitude.
