How long does it take to kill the coronavirus?
Q: When you spray bleach solution on a doorknob, how long does it take to disinfect? I recall from an online class that you should leave the spray on for at least five minutes before you wipe it down. Is that correct?
It would be helpful if you could do an article or maybe provide a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-approved link that would give specific and accurate info on exactly how to properly disinfect a doorknob or any surface. Is there any other way to disinfect a doorknob or other surface besides using bleach?
A: You are correct that a bleach solution of 4 teaspoons per quart should be left on the doorknob or tap handle for five minutes. That is adequate for disinfection. The CDC offers its guidance on a page called Cleaning and Disinfection for Households.
The head of scientific research for Homeland Security, William Bryan, described tests conducted at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center. The dilute bleach solution kills the coronavirus in five minutes. Isopropyl alcohol (70 percent) kills it in about 30 seconds.
Q: I was prescribed Voltaren Gel for arthritis in my feet. Although I didn’t expect much, I got pain relief within minutes.
Unfortunately, my co-pay was too high. I found out that Voltaren Gel was available over the counter in Canada, so I had a friend get me several tubes. Why isn’t it available OTC in the U.S.?
A: Voltaren Gel (1% diclofenac) was first approved as a topical prescription anti-inflammatory agent in 2007. In other countries, this product has been available without prescription for many years.
On Valentine’s Day 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved Voltaren Arthritis Pain as an OTC product. It should become available any day now. The maker is charging $12.99 for a tube with 1.76 ounces.
There are some caveats, however. Some people are so sensitive to digestive irritation from diclofenac and other NSAIDs that they complain of severe abdominal pain when they use the gel. Others may experience skin rash. You can learn much more about the pros and cons of topical NSAIDs and nondrug approaches in our eGuide to Alternatives for Arthritis. It is available in the Health eGuides section at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Q: As a grieving father who lost his beautiful son to suicide, I would like to write about the dramatic increase in antidepressant drug use. Too many doctors are writing prescriptions for off-label use.
Doctors expect their patients to monitor changes in their own mental health, even though antidepressants carry a black box warning about suicide ideation. This clearly states: “Families and caregivers should be advised of the need for close observation and communication with the prescriber.” In my experience, this is not happening.
People with mental health concerns should receive counseling before being prescribed any psychotropic drug. In my son’s case, his university psychiatrist treated “age-appropriate stress” as a mental illness and prescribed him paroxetine and clonazepam. That resulted in suicide ideation.
The thing that angers me the most is an answer my son wrote on a questionnaire in his medical records: “I wish I could feel the same as I did before taking psychotropic drugs.” If my son had never been prescribed psychotropic drugs, he would be alive today, happy and healthy.
A: We are so sorry to learn about this tragedy. We agree that everyone who takes antidepressants should be monitored for suicidal thoughts.
Q: I had such a terrible allergy attack that I couldn’t get my head off my desk to drive myself home. It was 1987, and I was very reluctant to take any medication. My boss gave me a pill she said was safe because it was plant-based. It was quercetin.
When she checked on me after 20 minutes, my headache was gone! My energy returned, and I was able to go on with my day.
I took 500 mg every day for three months that summer. I never had another attack.
Unfortunately, quercetin doesn’t help everyone. But it worked for me. The bonus is that there are no side effects, so I didn’t feel sleepy or groggy like I used to with allergy medicine.
A: Quercetin is a fascinating compound found in foods such as onions, broccoli, berries, grapes, apples and tea. It has potent antioxidant activity and prevents the release of histamine from mast cells (Molecules, May 2016). One test tube study found that it is more effective than cromolyn (NasalCrom) at inhibiting histamine release from mast cells (PLOS One, March 28, 2012).
Many of our readers report that NasalCrom can be helpful for allergy symptoms. It’s nice to know that quercetin might be as helpful.
There are only a few clinical trials of quercetin for allergy relief. Japanese scientists have compared a quercetin metabolite, isoquercitrin, and placebo for red itchy eyes due to allergies (Allergology
International, September 2009). Another study of the same compound also found it helpful against allergy to Japanese cedar pollen (International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, March 17, 2009). We are pleased to hear quercetin worked so well for you.
Q: I used a recipe for fennel tea that I found on your website. It really does help me with gas.
I have a problem with irritable bowel syndrome. The doctor didn’t have anything to prescribe but suggested I use IBgard. It’s OK, but I’d rather use a nondrug approach. What can you recommend?
A: IBgard contains enteric-coated peppermint oil. An analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials found that this natural product is safe and effective for IBS (BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Jan. 17, 2019). The most recent placebo-controlled study found that only peppermint oil designed to be released in the small intestine reduced abdominal pain and other IBS symptoms (Gastroenterology, January 2020).
You can learn more about fennel tea, peppermint oil and managing IBS in our eGuide to Digestive Disorders. It is available in the Health eGuides section at PeoplesPharmacy.com.