Updated Jan 22. 2021

Thank you: Front Line COVID-19
Critical Care Alliance

What can you do to prevent getting COVID-19?

Dr. Paul Marik, a founding member of the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, takes you through all of the steps you can take to limit your chances getting COVID-19. At the heart of it is the FLCCC Alliance’s I-Mask+ Prophylaxis & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol. Its components include ivermectin, which has been shown in study after study to prevent COVID-19, and to keep patients who become symptomatic from progressing into more serious COVID-19 illness. Watch and SHARE please!

https://player.vimeo.com/video/486829903

The FLCCC Alliance

As a group of colleagues with over 200 years of combined experience in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, as well as long-standing shared interests in developing effective treatments for critical illnesses including sepsis, we, the FLCCC Alliance, formed a working group devoted to creating a treatment protocol against COVID-19 in early March 2020. The protocol we devised, called MATH+, is intended for use in hospitalized patients, with an emphasis on early initiation—as soon as a patient develops the need for supplemental oxygen.

The success of the MATH+ hospital treatment protocol is detailed in the team’s  Clinical and Scientific Rationale for the MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 published in the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine in December 2020. The two hospitals that adopted the MATH+ protocol and initiated it early in the treatment of COVID-19 patients (in ICU) averaged only a 5.1% mortality rate, compared with mortality rates reported from other hospitals of between 10–30% during the same time periods, depending on whether corticosteroids were used. Information about the team’s more recent I-MASK+ formula for prophylaxis and early outpatient treatment of COVID-19 can be found here.

We would like to emphasize that the FLCCC Alliance is not opposed to vaccination, and furthermore supports policies such as mask wearing, social distancing, and hand hygiene to prevent the further spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Our treatment proposals are designed, first of all, to mitigate the effects of the pandemic until it is overcome, and to allow for an earlier return to daily life.

My brother in Law – Jeff Larsen- has been diagnosed with Covid Lung Disease! Many times on the edge. many times we have asked for clergy.

Many days we have embraced the miracle of his life ….

Since before Thanksgiving 2020 -we have been as a family – a global family – a Miracle Making – Heart opening experience!

Thank you for your prayers! I believe it is your prayers as well as his incredible team at St. Josephs!

YOU ARE SAVING LIVES when you learn what is written on this page!

Thank you for your prayers! Greg writes an update here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10224558847744627&set=a.2104340934063

Please Watch Dr. Kory

https://player.vimeo.com/video/490351508

NIH (National Institutes of Health) Revises Treatment Guidelines for Ivermectin for the Treatment of COVID-19

Ivermectin is Now a Treatment Option for Health Care Providers!

Jan 14, 2021 – One week after Dr. Paul Marik and Dr. Pierre Kory – founding members of the Front Line Covid-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC) – along with Dr. Andrew Hill, researcher and consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), presented their data before the NIH Treatment Guidelines Panel, the NIH has upgraded their recommen­da­tion and now considers Ivermectin an option for use in COVID-19.

Their recommendation has now been upgraded to the same level as those for widely used monoclonal antibodies & convalescent plasma, which is a “neither for nor against” recommen­da­tion. The significance of this change is that the NIH has decided to no longer recommend against the use of ivermectin in the treatment of COVID-19 by the nation’s health care providers. A consequence of this change is that ivermectin has now been made a clear therapeutic option for patients.

MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol for COVID-19

Read more here: https://covid19criticalcare.com/math-hospital-treatment/pdf-translations/

The MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 is designed for hospitalized patients, to be initiated as soon as possible after they develop respiratory difficulty and require oxygen supplementation. The three core pathophysiologic processes that have been identified are severe hypoxemia, hyperinflammation, and hypercoagulability. This combination medication protocol is designed to counteract these processes either through the use of single agents or in synergistic actions. A unique insight into this disease made by members of our group is that the majority of patients initially present with an inflammatory reaction in the lungs called “organizing pneumonia,” which is the body’s reaction to injury and is profoundly responsive to corticosteroid therapy. If the organizing pneumonia response is left untreated or presents as a rapidly progressive sub-type, a condition called Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) follows.

The two main therapies that can reverse and/or mitigate the extreme inflammation causing ARDS are the combination of the corticosteroid Methylprednisolone and the antioxidant Ascorbic acid, which is given intravenously and in high doses. Both of these medicines have multiple synergistic physiologic effects and have  been shown in multiple randomized controlled trials to improve survival in ARDS, particularly when given early in the disease. Thiamine is given to optimize cellular oxygen utilization and energy consumption, protecting the heart, brain, and immune system. Given the numerous clinical and scientific investigations that have demonstrated consistent, reproducible, and excessive levels of hyper-coagulation, particularly in the severely ill, the anticoagulant Heparin is used to both prevent and help in dissolving blood clots that appear with a very high frequency. The “+” sign indicates several important co-interventions that have a combination of strong physiologic rationale with existing or emerging pre-clinical and clinical data to support their use in similar conditions or in COVID-19 itself, and all with a well-established safety profile. Such adjunctive therapies are continuously being evaluated and amended as the published medical evidence evolves.

Timing is a critical factor in the efficacy of MATH+ and to achieving successful outcomes in patients ill with COVID-19. Patients must go to the hospital as soon as they experience difficulty breathing or have a low oxygen level. The MATH+ protocol should be administered soon after a patient meets criteria for oxygen supplementation (within the first hours after arrival in the hospital), in order to achieve maximal efficacy.  Delayed therapy can lead to complications such as the need for mechanical ventilation. If administered early, the MATH+ formula of FDA-approved, safe, inexpensive, and readily available drugs may eliminate the need for ICU beds and mechanical ventilators and return patients to health.

Jan 17, 2021 | PUBLIC STATEMENT

 FLCCC Alliance Response to the NIH Guideline Committee Recommendation on Ivermectin use in COVID-19 dated January 14^th, 2021

https://player.vimeo.com/video/490351508?dnt=1&app_id=122963

Dr. Pierre Kory testifies to Senate Committee about Ivermectin, Dec. 8, 2020

Appearing as a witness on Dec. 8, 2020, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs—which held a hearing on “Early Outpatient Treatment: An Essential Part of a COVID-19 Solution”— Dr. Pierre Kory, President of the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), called for the government to swiftly review the already expansive and still rapidly emerging medical evidence on Ivermectin. Read More

Jan 7, 2021 – Press Release
 FLCCC Alliance Invited to the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel to Present Latest Data on Ivermectin
On January 6, 2021, our Drs. Pierre Kory and Paul Marik, founding members of the FLCCC Alliance, appeared before the National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel to urge review of current data and an updated NIH guidance.

Dec 15, 2020 – now published:
 Clinical and Scientific Rationale for the “MATH+” Hospital Treatment Protocol for COVID-19
FLCCC Alliance peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. The protocol described in this paper potentially offers a life-saving approach to the management of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The MATH+ protocol offers an inexpensive combination of medicines with well-known safety profiles based on strong physiologic rationale and an increasing clinical evidence base.

“The I-MASK+ protocol will revolutionize the treatment of COVID-19”

Dr. Paul Marik (Oct. 30, 2020)

The Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance has now developed a prophylactic and early outpatient combination treatment protocol for COVID-19 called I-Mask+. This protocol is centered around the use of ivermectin, a well-known anti-parasite drug. Ivermectin has recently discovered anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties and a rapidly growing published medical evidence base demonstrating its unique and highly potent ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication.

Please visit these links to get the full picture:

• I-MASK+ Prophylaxis & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19
• Our comprehensive review of the emerging evidence for Ivermectin use in our I-MASK+ protocol 
• A one-page summary of the scientific review on ivermectin above 
• Dr. Paul Marik’s comprehensive meta-analysis of COVID-19 therapeutics 
• An introductory video explaining the review on Ivermectin by Dr. Pierre Kory 
• Dr. Paul Marik’s recent lecture on I-MASK+ 
• Invited Grand Rounds Lecture on ivermectin by Pierre Kory 

In March, 2020 we first published our MATH+ Treatment Protocol for COVID-19, intended for hospitalized patients. The recently developed I-MASK+ Prophylaxis & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 is instead directed for use as a prophylaxis and in early outpatient treatment after contracting COVID-19. The protocols thus complement each other, and both are physiologic-based combination treatment regimens developed by leaders in critical care medicine. All component medicines are FDA-approved (except ivermectin), inexpensive, readily available and have been used for decades with well-established safety profiles.

• An FLCCC Alliance guide to the management of COVID-19  – An overview of the MATH+ and I-MASK+ protocols

Greg Larsen with his brother Early Nov 2020

RNA virus: A virus in which the genetic material is RNA. The RNA may be either double- or single-stranded. … Class IV viruses have a positive single-stranded RNA genome, the genome itself acting as mRNA (messenger RNA. Class V viruses have a negative single-stranded RNA genome used as a template for mRNA synthesis.

**UPDATE** Please scroll down for recommendations on nutritional supplements and holistic approaches to boost your immune system!

Viruses are smaller than bacteria and can’t survive without a living host. A virus attaches itself to cells and usually reprograms them to reproduce itself. Also, unlike bacteria, most viruses do cause disease. Some virus-caused diseases include the common cold, AIDS, herpes, and chickenpox.

Coronaviruses have helically symmetrical nucleocapsids, which is uncommon among positive-sense RNA viruses, but far more common for negative-sense RNA viruses. Coronavirus virus particles contain four main structural proteins. … The M protein is the most abundant structural protein in the virion.

Negative-sense ssRNA viruses (Group V) must have their genome copied by an RNA replicase to form positive-sense RNA. This means that the virus must bring along with it the RNA replicase enzyme. The positive-sense RNA molecule then acts as viral mRNA, which is translated into proteins by the host ribosomes.

A positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus (or (+)ssRNA virus) is a virus that uses positive sense, single-stranded RNA as its genetic material. Single stranded RNA viruses are classified as positive or negative depending on the sense or polarity of the RNA. The positive-sense viral RNA genome can also serve as messenger RNA and can be translated into protein in the host cell. Positive-sense ssRNA viruses belong to Group IV in the Baltimore classification.^[1] Positive-sense RNA viruses account for a large fraction of known viruses, including many pathogens such as the hepatitis C virus, West Nile virus, dengue virus, and SARS and MERS coronaviruses, as well as less clinically serious pathogens such as the rhinoviruses that cause the common cold.

Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 170,000: Live updates on 2019-nCoV

PREVENTION IS KEY!

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause respiratory illnesses such as the common cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most people get infected with coronaviruses at one point in their lives, but symptoms are typically mild to moderate. In some cases, the viruses can cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis. 

These viruses are common amongst animals worldwide, but only a handful of them are known to affect humans. Rarely, coronaviruses can evolve and spread from animals to humans. This is what happened with the coronaviruses known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-Cov), both of which are known to cause more severe symptoms.

Since the virus first popped up in Wuhan in people who had visited a local seafood and animal market (called the Huanan seafood market), officials could only say it likely hopped from an animal to humans. In a new study, however, the researchers compared the 2019-nCoV genetic sequence with those in a library of viral sequences, and found that the most closely related viruses were two coronaviruses that originated in bats; both of those coronaviruses shared 88% of their genetic sequence with that of 2019-nCoV.

Based on these results, the authors said the 2019-nCoV likely originated in bats. However, no bats were sold at the Huanan seafood market, which suggests that another yet-to-be-identified animal acted as a stepping stone of sorts to transmit the virus to humans.

A previous study suggested snakes, which were sold at the Huanan seafood market, as a possible source of 2019-nCoV. However, some experts have criticized the study, saying it’s unclear if coronaviruses can infect snakes. 

Can the virus spread between people?

Yes, the virus is reportedly spreading from person-to-person in many parts of China, according to the CDC. In terms of how one would catch the virus, the CDC says that human coronaviruses are most commonly spread between an infected person and others via: 

—the air (from viral particles from a cough or sneeze); 

—close personal contact (touching or shaking hands); 

—an object or surface with viral particles on it (then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands);

 —and rarely from fecal contamination.  

How would this virus cause a pandemic?

In order for this virus or any, to lead to a pandemic in humans, it needs to do three things: efficiently infect humans, replicate in humans and then spread easily among humans, Live Science previously reported. Right now, it’s unclear how easily the virus spreads from person to person.

Instances of human-to-human transmission have been identified in the U.S., CDC officials announced on Jan. 27. 2020. An individual’s risk of infection “depends on exposure”; given the low number of confirmed U.S. cases, the CDC has determined that Americans’ risk of 2019-nCoV infection remains “low at this time.”

How does the virus compare to SARS and MERS?

MERS and SARS have both been known to cause severe symptoms in people. It’s unclear how the new coronavirus will compare in severity, as it has caused severe symptoms and death in some patients while causing only mild illness in others, according to the CDC. All three of the coronaviruses can be transmitted between humans through close contact. It’s unlikely that imported goods from China could carry the new virus, as coronaviruses don’t typically survive on surfaces for more than a few hours, CDC officials said Jan. 27. 

MERS, which was transmitted from touching infected camels or consuming their meat or milk, was first reported in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and has mostly been contained in the Arabian Peninsula, according to NPR. SARS was first reported in 2002 in southern China (no new cases have been reported since 2004) and is thought to have spread from bats that infected civets. The new coronavirus was likely transmitted from touching or eating an infected animal in Wuhan. 

During the SARS outbreak, the virus killed about 1 in 10 people who were infected. The death rate from 2019-nCoV isn’t yet known, although most of the patients who have died from the infection have been older than 60 and have had preexisting conditions. However, more recently, a young healthy man died in Wuhan, raising concern that the virus might be more dangerous than thought, according to The Washington Post.

What are the symptoms of the COVID-19 and how do you treat it?

Symptoms of the new coronavirus include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. These symptoms are similar to those caused by SARS, according to a recent study published in the journal The Lancet. 

Despite sharing some symptoms that were similar to SARS, there “are some important differences,” such as the absence of upper respiratory tract symptoms like runny nose, sneezing and sore throat and intestinal symptoms like diarrhea, which affected 20% to 25% of SARS patients, lead author Bin Cao, from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital and the Capital Medical University, both in Beijing, said in a statement. 

There are no specific treatments for coronavirus infections and most people will recover on their own, according to the CDC. So treatment involves rest and medication to relieve symptoms. A humidifier or hot shower can help to relieve a sore throat and cough. If you are mildly sick, you should drink a lot of fluids and rest but if you are worried about your symptoms, you should see a healthcare provider, they wrote. (This is advice for all coronaviruses, not specifically aimed toward the new virus).

There is no vaccine for the new coronavirus but researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health confirmed they were in preliminary stages of developing one. In addition, the drug company Regeneron announced that it is in the early stages of developing a treatment for this virus, according to NBC News.   

New diagnostic protocols to test for the virus are now available online, and test kits will be distributed to medical centers in the U.S. and abroad sometime in the coming weeks, CDC officials announced on Jan. 27. Within the U.S., the CDC is coordinating with state health departments to determine which patients should undergo diagnostic testing and be placed under surveillance.  

What is being done to stop the spread of the coronavirus?

STAY HOME AND PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING

BOOST YOUR PERSONAL HYGIENE PRACTICES!

I-MASK+ Prophylaxis & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19

In October 2020, the FLCCC Alliance developed a prophylactic and early outpatient combination treatment protocol for COVID-19 called I-Mask+. It’s centered around ivermectin, a well-known, FDA-approved anti-parasite drug that has been used successfully for more than four decades to treat onchocerciasis “river blindness” and other parasitic diseases. It is one of the safest drugs known. It is on the WHO’s list of essential medicines, has been given 3.7 billion times around the globe, and has won the Nobel prize for its global and historic impacts in eradicating endemic parasitic infections in many parts of the world. Our medical discovery of a rapidly growing published medical evidence base, demonstrating ivermectin’s unique and highly potent ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and to suppress inflammation, prompted our team to use ivermectin for prevention and treatment in all stages of COVID-19. Ivermectin is not yet FDA-approved for the treatment of COVID-19, but on Dec 14, 2021, the NIH changed their recommendation for the use of ivermectin in COVID-19 from “against” to “neutral”. (see our  press release).

Our life-saving MATH+ Hospital Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 (available in several languages), created in March 2020, is intended for hospitalized patients. The recently developed I-MASK+ Prophylaxis & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 (this page) is designed for use as a prophylaxis and in early outpatient treatment, for those who test positive for COVID-19. The protocols complement each other, and both are physiologic-based combination treatment regimens developed by leaders in critical care medicine. All the component medicines are FDA-approved (except ivermectin), inexpensive, readily available and have been used for decades with well-established safety profiles.

Please download and share our I-MASK+ Prophylaxis & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19. (It is currently being translated into several languages).

Below are a list of links to our one-page summary of the latest evidence for the protocol, plus videos of FLCCC Alliance doctors discussing the emerging evidence for the use of ivermectin in the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19, and a short list of up-to-date studies and clinical trials on this topic.

Publications and videos on the use of ivermectin in our I-MASK+ protocol

• Our comprehensive review of the emerging evidence for ivermectin use in our I-MASK+ protocol 
• A one-page summary of the scientific review on ivermectin above 
• Dr. Paul Marik’s comprehensive meta-analysis of COVID-19 therapeutics 
• An introductory video explaining the review on ivermectin by Dr. Pierre Kory 
• Dr. Paul Marik’s recent lecture on I-MASK+ 
• Invited Grand Rounds Lecture on ivermectin by Pierre Kory 

Please also regard Dr. Paul Marik’s latest

• An FLCCC Alliance guide to the management of COVID-19  – An overview of the MATH+ and I-MASK+ protocols

What do we expect in the coming days?

Looking at what happened with MERS and SARS, it’s likely that some spread of the virus from close contact between humans will continue to occur, according to CDC.

In a statement released on Sunday (Jan. 26), the CDC said: “It is likely there will be more cases reported in the U.S. in the coming days and weeks, likely including person-to-person spread. In previous outbreaks with MERS and SARS, the two other coronaviruses that have jumped the species barrier to cause severe illness in people, person-to-person spread has been seen, including among healthcare workers caring for patients ill with coronavirus infection.”

How can people protect themselves and others?

– Practice Good Hygiene!

– Take your Immunity to the next level!

– Most people with good immune systems will only get mild symptoms.

Essential Nutrition to Protect Yourself Against COVID-19

As for prevention, nutrition plays a crucial role and several nutrients are known for their immune-boosting properties and ability to ward against viral infections. As reported in a February 24, 2020 press release:

“In a compelling article in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases … Mark McCarty of the Catalytic Longevity Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA, and James DiNicolantonio, PharmD, a cardiovascular research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, MO, propose that certain nutraceuticals may help provide relief to people infected with encapsulated RNA viruses such as influenza and coronavirus …

COVID-19 is around 30 to 60 times more lethal than the typical annual flu. Both influenza and coronavirus cause an inflammatory storm in the lungs and it is this inflammatory storm that leads to acute respiratory distress, organ failure, and death.

Certain nutraceuticals may help to reduce the inflammation in the lungs from RNA viruses and others may also help boost type 1 interferon response to these viruses, which is the body’s primary way to help create antiviral antibodies to fight off viral infections.”

McCarty and DiNicolantonio list several nutrients available in supplement form that may be of particular benefit against COVID-19, including the following (below). For more details about each, see the full-text paper published in Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases:

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — Encourages glutathione production, thins mucus, lowers your chances of influenza infection and reduces your risk of developing severe bronchitis

Elderberry extract — Known to shorten influenza duration by two to four days and reduce the severity of the flu. According to the authors:29“Given that elderberry is a very rich source of anthocyanins, there is reason to suspect that its impact on viruses might be mediated, at least in part, by ferulic acid, a prominent metabolite that appears in plasma following anthocyanin ingestion.”

Spirulina — Reduces severity of influenza infection and lowers influenza mortality in animal studies. In a human trial, spirulina significantly lowered the viral load in patients with HIV infection

Beta-glucan — Reduces severity of influenza infection severity and lowers influenza mortality in animal studies

Glucosamine — Upregulates mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS), reduces severity of influenza infection severity and lowers influenza mortality in animal studies

Selenium — “Since selenium is an essential cofactor for certain peroxidases, and selenium deficiency has been endemic in certain regions of China and other parts of the world, insuring adequacy of selenium nutrition might also be appropriate in this context,” McCarty and DiNicolantonio note, adding:30“Selenium deficiency also increases the rate at which viruses can mutate, promoting the evolution of strains that are more pathogenic and capable of evading immune surveillance.”

Zinc — Supports “effective function and proliferation of various immune cells,” lowering mortality in the elderly by 27%

Lipoic acid — Helps boost type 1 interferon response. As explained in a 2014 paper:31“Type I interferons (IFNs) activate intracellular antimicrobial programs and influence the development of innate and adaptive immune responses … (IFNs) are polypeptides that are secreted by infected cells and have three major functions. First, they induce cell-intrinsic antimicrobial states in infected and neighboring cells that limit the spread of infectious agents, particularly viral pathogens. Second, they modulate innate immune responses in a balanced manner that promotes antigen presentation and natural killer cell functions while restraining pro-inflammatory pathways and cytokine production. Third, they activate the adaptive immune system, thus promoting the development of high-affinity antigen-specific T and B cell responses and immunological memory. Type I IFNs are protective in acute viral infections but can have either protective or deleterious roles in bacterial infections and autoimmune diseases.”

Sulforaphane — Helps boost type 1 interferon response

A 2005 study in The Journal of Infectious Diseases also found resveratrol has the power to inhibit the replication of influenza A virus, significantly improving survival in influenza-infected mice. According to the authors, resveratrol “acts by inhibiting a cellular, rather than a viral, function,” which suggests it “could be a particularly valuable anti-influenza drug.”

Suggested Daily Dosages

The provisional daily dosage suggestions offered by McCarty and DiNicolantonio to help control RNA viruses, including influenza and coronavirus infection, are as follows:

Nutraceutical	Daily dosage
Ferulic acid	500 to 1,000 milligrams (mg)
Lipoic acid	1,200 to 1,800 mg (in place of ferulic acid)
Spirulina	15 grams
NAC	1,200 to 1,800 mg
Selenium	50 to 100 micrograms (mcg)
Glucosamine	3,000 mg or more
Zinc	30 to 50 mg
Yeast beta-glucan	250 to 500 mg
Elderberry extract	600 to 1,500 mg

The Importance of Vitamin D Optimization

Solar ultraviolet-B radiation and supplemental vitamin D have also been shown to reduce pandemic fatality rates, which makes sense considering how important vitamin D is for controlling infections and lowering your risk for influenza and the common cold.

As detailed in “Vitamin D Prevents Infections,” research shows high-dose vitamin D supplementation lowers the risk of respiratory illnesses and lung infections in the elderly by 40%. As noted by an author of that study, “Vitamin D can improve the immune system’s ability to fight infections because it bolsters the first line of defense of the immune system.”

Research published in 2009 pointed suggests fatality rates during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic were influenced by season, with greater numbers of people dying during the winter than the summer. According to the authors:

“Deaths during the 1918–1919 influenza pandemic have been linked to both the influenza virus and secondary bacterial lung infections. Case fatality rates and percentage of influenza cases complicated by pneumonia were available from survey data for twelve United States locations in the 1918–1919 pandemic.

This study analyzes case fatality rates and cases complicated by pneumonia with respect to estimated summertime and wintertime solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) doses as indicators of population mean vitamin D status.

Substantial correlations were found for associations of July UVB dose with case fatality rates and rates of pneumonia as a complication of influenza. Similar results were found for wintertime UVB. Vitamin D upregulates production of human cathelicidin, LL-37, which has both antimicrobial and antiendotoxin activities.

Vitamin D also reduces the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which could also explain some of the benefit of vitamin D since H1N1 infection gives rise to a cytokine storm.”

As a general guideline, get your vitamin D level tested twice a year, in the winter and summer, to make sure you’re in a healthy range of 60 ng/mL to 80 ng/mL year-round. (A compelling body of research suggests 40 ng/mL is the cutoff for sufficiency.)

Pre-, Pro- and Sporebiotics May Be Useful Against Prevotella

Last but not least, should the inclusion of Prevotella bacteria in COVID-19 turn out to be accurate, prebiotics, probiotics and sporebiotics may be of significant use. A number of studies have shown Bifidobacterium bifidum strain probiotics can help reduce Prevotella, while Lactobacillus strains tend to increase it.

Sporebiotics may be particularly beneficial. As explained in “How Spore Probiotics Can Help You,” which features an interview with Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt, spore-based probiotics consist of the cell wall of bacillus spores — the protective shell around the DNA and the working mechanism of that DNA — not the whole, live bacterium.

Bacillus spores have been shown to dramatically increase immune tolerance, which means they help repair damage in your intestinal barrier. Since they’re not “live,” they’re also unaffected by antibiotics.

The bacillus very effectively modulates cytokines — anti-inflammatory cytokines are upregulated while inflammatory cytokines are downregulated, thereby restoring balance between the two.

Research has also shown that sporebiotics massively increase reproduction of acidophilus, bifidus and other microbes in your gut via the electromagnetic messages they send out. This is entirely unique. When you take a regular probiotic, they primarily take care of themselves. Bacillus spores, on the other hand, actually enhance many of the other beneficial microbes.

Bacillus spores also create 24 different substances that have strong antimicrobial properties. However, they do not kill indiscriminately like antibiotics do. They specifically suppress pathogens that do make a valuable contribution to the whole.

As COVID-19 continues to take its toll, taking measures to strengthen your immune system would be a wise strategy as a strong immune system is your No. 1 defense against all types of infections, both viral and bacterial.