The unique daily routine that prevented an Australian professor from contracting Covid-19
- Prof. Don Campbell uses heparin-based nasal spray
- He believes it protected him from catching the virus
A medicine professor has managed to avoid Covid throughout the pandemic, which he says could be down to a simple nasal spray he uses every day.
Professor Don Campbell, director of Northern Health’s Hospital Without Walls program in Victoria, has been spraying a solution of the drug heparin into his nose every morning and night since May 2020.
Heparin is an anticoagulant used to prevent blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. However, Prof Campbell says it is perfectly safe when used via a nasal spray and cannot be absorbed by the body as a blood thinner.
“We have not been looking for a solution to our Covid pandemic through the nose, and yet anyone who works in healthcare knows that it is a nasal infection that infects the nose first,” the professor told 3AW.
Professor Don Campbell, (pictured) the director of Northern Health’s Hospital Without Walls program in Victoria, has been spraying a solution of the drug heparin into his nose every morning and night since May 2020
“My simple thought was, if it’s a nasal infection, why don’t we prevent the nose from becoming infected?”
It has already been established in the laboratory that heparin inhibits the flu.
“I just thought, why not spray heparin in there? It binds to the (Covid) protein tip like mud on a blanket, preventing it from multiplying,” the professor added.
The hope is that the heparin will encapsulate the Covid protein spike responsible for the infection and prevent transmission to humans.
A heparin-based nasal spray is not commercially available, Prof. Campbell makes his own solution.
He also brings a bottle of it when he goes to crowded places like sporting events or malls.
Since incorporating the spray into his routine, he has been free of Covid-19, colds, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections and influenza.
Prof Campbell is now asking volunteers to take part in a study to test the effectiveness of heparin in Covid infections (woman pictured wearing face mask in Sydney shopping centre)
Prof Campbell and a team of researchers from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the University of Melbourne and Monash University are now asking volunteers to take part in a study testing the effectiveness of heparin in Covid infections.
“Recent studies suggest that it binds the COVID-19 virus and may decrease the virus’ ability to enter cells,” the study said.
“We think heparin may have the ability to treat people with early COVID-19 infections and prevent infection in their close household contacts, thereby helping to limit the spread of the virus.”
The study requires a Covid-positive person from a household and an uninfected family member.
A total of 400 households are required for the study.
Participants are given a nasal spray, either heparin or a saline solution, which acts as a placebo.
They then apply the spray three times a day for ten days.
The tricky part for researchers now is finding participants, as many no longer bother to test themselves for the virus.
People with the virus must notify researchers within 72 hours of testing positive.