Today, a consortium of health professionals petitioned the World Health Organization to issue Guidance calling on: all people to use nasal sprays to combat the COVID-19 pandemic; doctors to use them in treating COVID-19 patients; and, Member-States to implement public health policies promoting the use of nasal sprays to both prevent and treat COVID-19.

The petition asks the WHO to promulgate guidance that promotes the use of nasal sprays with data indicating that they are antiviral (blocks viral adhesion), virucidal (kills or deactivates the virus), anti-bacterial (block bacteria, in particular pneumonia bacteria) and bactericidal (kills bacteria, in particular pneumonia bacteria).

“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 WHO 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.

“Nasal sprays are proven safe, inexpensive, non-invasive, easy to use and you can get them off-the-shelf at your local store around the world. There is a growing body of data that sprays, in particular Xlear, can help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s pure commonsense,” Nathan Jones, CEO of Xlear said.