Does the coronavirus die in food in the microwave?

The Peruvian doctor specializing in oncology and public health, Elmer Huerta, recently answered some of the questions received through social networks in the framework of the covid-19 pandemic.

The audience asked: can the coronavirus trigger amputations?; Is the Ivermectin in a coronavirus treatment? Can anxiety generate you covid-19 symptoms?

In a CNN Spanish podcast, Dr. Elmer Huerta answered some of the queries that were sent to his Twitter account.

Regarding the need to amputate limbs due to covid-19, the specialist replied: “Because one of the complications of covid-19 is the formation of clots, it is possible that one of these could lodge in an artery, cause gangrene and with it the need for amputation. The case of Canadian actor Nick Cordero seems to illustrate this ominous situation. He lost his right leg while being treated for covid-19 at a Los Angeles hospital. ”

Twitter users kept asking dr. Huerta for different symptoms. For example, one wanted to know if a very anxious person in this context could generate symptoms similar to those caused by the virus but that it is a psychological phenomenon instead of a contagion.

“Anxiety can cause calls psychosomatic symptoms, which can have a wide variety of manifestations, imitating many common symptoms; among them: shortness of breath, feeling of not being able to breathe or swallow food. A consult a professional mental health is advisable in those cases, “replied the Peruvian specialist.

Another person asked why some human beings were asymptomatic carriers from covid-19, a question to which science does not yet have many answers: “It is unknown why humans are so diverse in their responses to infection with the new coronavirus. It is possible that previous infections with any of the four coronaviruses that cause colds or genetic reasons explain this phenomenon, “replied the Peruvian expert..

Covid-19 prevention measures

Some of the Twitter users who contacted Dr. Huerta wanted to ask questions about the preventive measures that they are taking in their homes and their jobs.

For example, a user wanted to know if the 96 ° alcohol (pure) to disinfect against covid-19 or if you always had to mix with a third of water to have 70 ° alcohol.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, alcohol for hand cleaning, must have a concentration of 60 to 70%. Because it is irritating to the skin at a concentration of 96%, it is advised to dilute it. But I want to clarify that 96% alcohol can also deactivate the virus, “said the professional.

From Bolivia, a query came to the Peruvian doctor about food bought in restaurants, and whether it was possible to eliminate the virus by heating it in the microwave.

Huerta answered yes: “The coronaviruses are deactivated when subjected to 57 degrees centigrade for 15 minutes, and the temperature reached with a microwave oven is much higher. Also, remember that the new coronavirus is not transmitted through the digestive tract, but rather through the respiratory system. “

Another user consulted dr. Huerta for how long a worker had to be isolated who had tested positive for covid-19 and after how long could he go back to work without being a risk for your peers.

“According to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, there are two possibilities: if the person cannot have a control test after the disease; could return if you have not had a fever for at least three days complete; if the respiratory symptoms have improved and if at least 10 days have passed since those symptoms appeared “the medical professional began to respond.

However, in the event that the person can have a control test after the illness, he advised that “the employee can return to work if you no longer have a fever, the respiratory symptoms have improved, and two negative tests were done in a row, at least 24 hours apart. ”

Hope against coronavirus

Covid-19 treatments are tested around the world

Many drugs and treatments are being tested to find a solution to the covid-19 pandemic. One of the ones that generated the most expectation was the Ivermectin.

Regarding the use of Ivermectin against the coronavirus, the specialist clarified that due to a study that demonstrated Ivermectin activity in isolated cells, “it has been thought that it could be effective in patients. But according to the United States Food and Drug Administration, its use is not recommended for the prevention or treatment of covid-19, having rather warned about the immense danger of self-medication with products intended for animals. Its use should be restricted to research. ”

Also in Argentina Scientists are working to determine the effectiveness of this drug to combat this particular coronavirus.

At the local level, one of the laboratories that is working in this area is Elea-Phoenix, who is currently searching and developing possible treatments to deal with this new disease.

Aligned with the scientific knowledge that is being generated globally about possible treatments, during the last weeks the company has focused on starting the phase of clinical trials with two molecules that are already used for other treatments in men and women. It is important to note that both drugs are available in the Argentine market and could be useful tools to treat this pathology.

“The Ivermectin and the Telmisartan they are two drugs used many years ago to treat different pathologies in humans, “says Eduardo Spitzer, Scientific Director of Elea-Phoenix. He also adds:” that they are molecules registered for human use, known and safe implies that the behavior they know is known. they have when they enter the body, how the cells process them and how they are eliminated, which simplifies the process to advance clinical trials. ”

The search for treatments that they manage to combat the symptoms of Covid-19 constitutes a priority for the company and other prestigious institutions in the scientific community.

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