Doctors Warn Against Using Betadine Povidone Iodine Nasal Spray or Mouthwash to Prevent COVID-19—Here's Why
From hydroxychloroquine and veterinarian doses of the antiparasitic drug ivermectin , questionable—and potentially harmful—treatments for COVID-19 have circulated the internet since the pandemic first hit. The latest misinformed trend, gargling Betadine to prevent COVID-19 infection, allegedly started on Twitter. While advice about gargling Betadine or adding it to nasal spray has been gaining traction in anti-vax circles, infectious disease experts say iodine isn't a safe or reliable way to prevent getting sick with COVID-19. "There's no evidence that povidone iodine [Betadine] has any impact on COVID-19," Amesh A. Adalja , MD, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Health. Here's what you need to know about Betadine—and why doctors really, really don't want you (or anyone) to start gargling or using it in a nasal spray in hopes of preventing COVID-19. What exactly is Betadine? So, Betadine is the brand name for a chemical ...