Zinc not a cure for Covid-19

Some news publications and online pages have reported that zinc supplements can treat coronavirus, but Afghan health professionals say this medicine's efficacy is dubious.

There have been 180,000 coronavirus infections in Afghanistan, with 7,700 deaths, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Following the start of the pandemic, vaccines were discovered to fight the virus from spreading. However there were no treatment or cure for the disease.

So various Virus remedies started to be offered in social media. These took the form of meals, herbs, and medications. A news website posted the “news” that  “Zinc is the killer of the virus”.

Dr. Hashmatullah Faizi, from the Afghan Japan Hospital, noted that zinc can help increase immunity and reduce the chances of being infected by COVID. According to him, the recommended dosage is 20 mg in the morning and 20 mg at night. He claims that this medicine works well for Covid-19.

Zinc sulfate is stored in the skeletal muscles and its absence causes hair and skin problems, according to Dr. Javed Hajir, an official in the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan. “Although true that zinc sulfate can improve our immune system," he said, “it is no cure for COVID.”

"This treatment can enhance the immune system," he continued, "but there's no definitive Covid medication yet."

Having a strong immune system, he says, aids one in the fight against sickness.

A cure for Covid doesn't exist, however, taking zinc supplements helps boost the immune system and fend off illness. It should only be used under the supervision of a physician.