My Whakaaro On COVID
[Author’s note: This article was written in April 2020, and is based on evidence from that time.]
A virus is a strange thing…
…it is not a living organism like other infectious pathogens such as bacterial or fungal infections.
A virus can only survive by infecting a live host and taking control of its cells in order to replicate. The structure of a virus is rather simple compared with that of living cells.
It is basically some DNA-type material, wrapped in a protein exterior and then, in the case of a coronavirus, surrounded by a lipid bilayer (or envelope) which is important for maintaining virus structure and integrity.
Although there is still much to learn about the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for COVID-19, we can take the above facts into account to prepare and protect ourselves to the best of our abilities.
Physical distancing is crucial to slow the spread of the virus. If the virus can not infect another living organism (in this case human) it is unable to replicate and continue to spread.
Although many of us would likely make a full recovery from a case of COVID-19, the aim is to protect the more susceptible members of our community by stopping the virus from being able to spread between living hosts. Adhering to the Level 4 restrictions that are currently in place in New Zealand is crucial to protecting our vulnerable loved ones.
Stop the spread
Along with staying isolated (physically, not socially), basic hygiene methods is all it takes to help stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which is causing COVID-19):
Whakapūputu ai te patuero i ngā mea katoa. Hei tauira: Ngā kakau, ngā papa, ngā taputapu | Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as doorknobs, tables and computers.
Mahia te hopi. Horoi ō ringa | In Fact washing your hands with soap and water (for at least 20 seconds) is actually one of the best ways to remove and destroy this particular virus. The reason why comes down to the molecular structure of soap and primary principles of chemistry.
The basic recipe for soap hasn't changed in nearly 5,000 years. Usually, this involves the saponification of a mixture consisting of fat and something alkaline (like sodium hydroxide or lye). The result is the formation of ‘soap’ which can also be described as a surfactant.
Surfactants are both ‘water loving’ and ‘fat loving’ which is why a scrub with soap and water is so effective at removing things like grease, oil or fat from our hands, whereas using water alone would not be successful.
I use this natural hopi from the team at Kōaka. The fat-loving part of soap is able to attach to the critical lipid envelope of the coronavirus and pull it apart to be washed away by water. Simple, yet effective. Neat aye!
It is really important to wash thoroughly for 20 seconds… singing “Rā whānau kia koe” twice is a good way to practice waiata while stopping the spread of the virus.
What about hand sanitisers?
Sanitisers are a good addition but shouldn’t replace thorough hand washing. A sanitiser with at least 70% alcohol will be able to penetrate the envelope and kill the virus on your hands but hand washing is better as the water is able to wash away all the grime that can harbour said virus.
I use sanitiser a lot during a busy day in the Pharmacy but also combine this with regular times for handwashing with hopi.
This increased hand-washing and sanitising can be tough on our kirimoko (skin), so I use this Kōaka healing balm morning and night to help stop my hands drying out when sanitising throughout the day in the Pharmacy.
Mēnā ka paru ō ringa, kaua e pā te kānohi. Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean.
Our hands can pick up the virus (and other bugs) from many different surfaces. Some studies have shown SARS-CoV-2 to still be living on plastic or stainless steel up to 72 hours after an infected person has touched these surfaces. Putting dirty hands on any part of you kānohi (face) is the fastest way to introduce a virus to your body.
Whakamātihetihe te ihu ki te tuke | Cough or sneeze into your elbow or by covering your mouth and nose with disposable tissues.
Rauatu te aikiha ki te ipupara | Put used tissues in the bin or a bag immediately.
When coughing or sneezing, do this into your elbow (like a dab). If you are māuiui (sick), it is highly recommended you wear a face mask so you don’t spread the virus and help protect other whānau.
[AUTHOR’S NOTE: there is updated evidence as of 2022 that the following statements are no longer correct. View our recent blog post on Mask Wearing for an updated perspective. ] Masks are most useful when worn by a person who is māuiui rather than a healthy person. I don’t wear a mask in the Pharmacy as we are following good hygiene practices and also physically distanced from the patients. I also don’t wear one when I’m out and about because I am a great distance away from anyone else, and I don’t touch things like handrails or park benches etc.
There is some evidence that masks can actually harbour viruses due to people reusing disposable masks, touching them and their face more frequently while wearing them, or not wearing them correctly. We are pretty lucky here in Aotearoa, that we have plenty of space around us so physical distancing is easy to achieve.
Hospital staff in ED or ICU or rest home staff and those delivering kai to kaumātua definitely require masks as they are interacting with vulnerable people. These staff however, follow the instructions on how to wear a mask and actually change their masks between each patient, imagine the landfill if all of us started doing this!?
If you are going to wear a mask, remember to discard (or wash if it’s reusable), as soon as it gets damp, dirty or damaged. Beware of reusing masks as this generally means you are touching the mask and potentially your face therefore unnecessarily increasing risk of transmission.
Mēnā ka māuiui koe, herea ki te kainga | Stay home if you feel unwell
Something I feel may have bigger repercussions than the virus itself, is the effects the physical distancing and mixed messages coming through social media are having on our mental wellness. Remember to keep physical distance, but also don't lose social connection.
Spend time in places that feel safe and comfortable as much as possible.
How you are feeling is normal and will pass – it is nothing to be afraid of.
Reach out to your usual supports –whānau, friends and teammates.
Keep to usual routines – mealtimes, bedtime, exercise and so on.
Keep active but keep safe doing it.
Supplements + Natural Immunity
I have got a lot of questions around what supplements whānau should be taking to boost immunity during this time. It is important to note that the best things we can do to ‘boost’ immunity ie reduce your chance of contacting COVID-19 or give your body the best chance of fighting the virus, is everything listed above. HANDS DOWN.
The next best things you can do are:
Get enough sleep / stick to a regular sleeping pattern. Altered sleeping patterns and lack of sleep can increase stress on our bodies and upset our microbiome in our gut.
Keep exercising regularly
Say āe to wai - Drink plenty of water
Try to get plenty of sunshine to increase Vitamin D - Vitamin D increases our body's own ability to fight infections
Once you have the above, down pact - it is important that you get enough of each nutrient and preferably this comes from kai rather than supplements. Eating a rainbow of fresh fruits and veggies is the best way to ensure adequate nutrients are coming from whole foods.
Because the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not been around long, it is hard to know what supplements are good for keeping the effects of COVID-19 at bay. We only know some popular nutritional supplements that are effective for helping our body when under stress or under attack from an influenza virus or the common cold, we cannot say if these will help in COVID-19, but I’m willing to bet they will be better than nothing at this stage.
Vitamin C - An essential micronutrient, powerful antioxidant and a cofactor for many enzymes in the human body. Our immune system requires Vitamin C to function properly. When we are fighting off an infection we use significantly more Vitamin C due to increased inflammation and other metabolic requirements. Vitamin C supplementation has been proven for improved immunity, reduced severity and treatment of both respiratory and systemic infection. Kai high in vitamin C include kiwifruit and blackcurrants - two awesome NZ grown beauties.
Zinc - a cofactor for up to 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and is important for growth, immune function and reproduction. Zinc supplementation can significantly reduce duration and severity of the common cold via its ability to inhibit viral replication. Long-term zinc supplementation may not be safe however, so taking a course 2 weeks at a time with a break in between is safest. Most Pharmacies can also perform a zinc test but perhaps not essential during this time. Kai high in zinc includes legumes, seeds (I eat The Brothers Green Hemp Hearts), and nuts especially cashews.
Vitamin D - Multiple studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D result in poor immune function, increased upper respiratory tract infections and influenza. Kai that’s a good source of Vitamin D include Egg yolks and Mushrooms but the best way to get it is from sunlight exposure or supplementation.
Essential fatty acids - Omega 3 and Omega 6 are essential fatty acids that are required for growth and maintenance of the immune system at a cellular level. Being vegetarian, I use The Brothers Green Hemp seed oil daily. It has a 3:1 ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 which is considered optimal for human health especially playing a role in regulation and development of immunity.
If you have made it this far - Ka mau te wehi!
If you’re looking for some inspo on what to do with your whānau and how to stay socially connected during the rāhui/lockdown then check out the Manaaki 20 website. You can contribute too just by using the hashtag #manaaki20 - Kia Ora!
Please reach out if you have any specific medicine or supplement questions but If the matter is more urgent then call Healthline on 0800 611 116, your local Pharmacy or GP Practice.
Stay safe out there whānau and remember:
Noho atu ki tō kāinga kia ora ai te iwi - stay at home to save lives