Business Wire

Health Professionals Petition CDC for Guidance: Americans Use Nasal Sprays to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic; Doctors Use in Treating Patients

23.12.2020 16:00:00 EET | Business Wire | Press release

Share

Today, a consortium of 15 doctors, nurses and other public health professionals petitioned the Centers for Disease Control to issue Guidance calling on: Americans to use nasal sprays to combat the COVID-19 pandemic; and doctors to use them in treating COVID-19 patients.

The petition has also been placed on Change.org and the medical professionals are seeking support for it from all Americans: https://www.change.org/cdcguidance

The petition in particular calls on CDC to tell Americans to use nasal sprays as part of a layered defense against COVID-19. “You wash your hands; you should wash your nose, too. You wear a mask and social distance; you should do that and use a nasal spray,” said Dr. Alonzo Jones, one of the petitioners, and an inventor of one of the studied nasal sprays.

“We have more data supporting the use of nasal sprays against COVID-19 than we had supporting the use of masks and social distancing when CDC told Americans to do those things,” Dr. Mark Cannon, another petitioner, said. “Nasal sprays are inexpensive, non-invasive, safe, and you can get them off-the-shelf at your local store. It’s pure commonsense,” Cannon added.

“We have data showing that certain nasal sprays don’t just wash away the virus. Certain sprays actually block, deactivate and/or kill the virus,” said Dr. Gustavo Ferrer, a respiratory illness expert who has conducted research on the use of nasal sprays to combat COVID-19, and is among the petitioners.

As a result, the petition calls specifically for CDC Guidance to focus on the use of nasal sprays that contain Xylitol and grapefruit seed extract. Recent studies have found that these natural components used together are antiviral (they block SARS-CoV-2 adhesion to the nasal membrane) and virucidal (they kill or deactivate the virus). One such spray, Xlear, is currently widely available in the US. Xlear has been used by millions of people worldwide, over twenty-plus years, without any adverse effects reported.

Additionally, a new, small clinical study found Xlear lessens the severity and shortens the duration of COVID-19 illnesses, and reduces the risk of further transmission, which is why the petition calls for guidance to doctors to use it as an adjunct to current treatments.

To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.

Contact information

Jeff Gulko
617.304.7339
jeff@thegulkogroup.com

About Business Wire

For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Infobip Named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Communications Platform as a Service18.5.2026 17:25:00 EEST | Press release

Infobip is excited to share that global AI-first cloud communications platform Infobip has been recognized as a Leader in the 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Communications Platform as a Service. Check back for a complimentary copy of the full report soon! In Infobip’s view, this recognition reflects what the company has spent 20 years building: a communications platform that stays focused on what customers actually need and evolves as markets change. Infobip believes that recognition in a fast-moving market comes not from chasing trends, but from disciplined execution and a clear long-term vision. As Infobip marks its 20th year of operations, the company thinks the shift to agentic AI represents the most significant transformation in customer communications in our history. Infobip believes enterprises need a partner that empowers them to move from campaigns and rigid workflows to autonomous, goal-driven interactions, while retaining the openness and flexibility to adapt as the technol

Seoul Design Foundation Announces ‘Seoul Design AI Film Festival’ Call for Entries18.5.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release

The Seoul Design Foundation (CEO Cha Kang Heui) is inviting visionaries worldwide to the Seoul Design AI Film Festival (SDAFF). This global competition aims to redefine the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)—the world’s largest atypical architecture—as a premier destination for AI-driven media art. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260518044745/en/ An official poster for Seoul Design AI Film Festival (Image: Seoul Design Foundation) The DDP’s 222-meter curved exterior wall, a Guinness World Record holder for the "World's Largest 3D Mapping on an Atypical Building," will serve as the digital canvas for the winners. ‘Seoul Light DDP’ has already achieved global acclaim by winning the world’s top three design awards: iF, Red Dot, and IDEA. Bridging AI Technology and K-Culture The festival seeks high-quality video works that blend artistic inspiration with cutting-edge AI technology. The competition features two main cat

SERI Lugano Launches International Scientific Outreach Initiative on Light-Based Neuroscience and Pineal Gland Research18.5.2026 16:38:00 EEST | Press release

As scientific interest in light-based stimulation, neuroendocrine regulation, and integrative medicine continues to grow internationally, the Switzerland Eye Research Institute (SERI Lugano) has launched a new international scientific outreach initiative focused on public engagement and interdisciplinary research communication in neuroscience and cellular modulation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260515840289/en/ Ophthalmologist Roberto Pinelli explains, in an engaging personal narrative style, his unique methods for using a combination of light, sound, and nutraceuticals to non-invasively activate the pineal gland to promote cellular reju­venation, decrease aging, and improve overall well-being. Supported by case studies and peer-reviewed research, Pinelli’s method centers on using photons to convey vibrational energy through the eyes to target areas of the body with the sinergic use of sound vibrations and

TwentyTwo Real Estate to Acquire Terhills Resort in Belgium from LRM18.5.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release

TwentyTwo Real Estate, an independent European real estate investment and management firm, announces it has agreed to acquire Terhills Resort in Belgium from LRM. The transaction is expected to close on 29 May 2026. Operated by Center Parcs, the premium holiday park spans 63 hectares and comprises 250 waterfront cottages alongside central leisure facilities, set within a unique natural environment at the gateway to Hoge Kempen National Park. Center Parcs will remain the operator of the resort for at least the next 10 years, ensuring continuity for guests and supporting the long-term positioning of the resort as a leading leisure destination in Limburg, one of Flanders’ most distinctive tourism regions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513424487/en/ Opened in 2021, Terhills Resort forms part of the broader long-term transformation of the surrounding area into a leading nature, tourism and leisure destination.

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s PPD Clinical Research Business Expands Bioanalytical Capabilities with New Laboratory in Gothenburg, Sweden18.5.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release

Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced the opening of a new bioanalytical and biomarker laboratory in Gothenburg, Sweden, located within GoCo Health Innovation City. This new facility expands the company’s global bioanalytical capabilities to support pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers across all phases of drug development. With state-of-the-art instrumentation and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) capabilities, the laboratory provides rapid, reliable bioanalytical and biomarker services across the full drug development lifecycle, from preclinical studies through post-approval. Its advanced technology suite includes cell-based assays, immunochemistry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, molecular genomics, flow cytometry and proteomics, supporting both small molecules and complex therapeutic modalities such as peptides, antibodies, oligonucleotides, and cell and gene therapies. “Our new Gothenburg laboratory is purpose-built to address t

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye