What If The Cure For COVID-19 Already Existed For Decades? (Part Deux)

DISCLAIMER:  The following article references third-party sources and is intended for general information only, and is NOT intended to provide medical advice or otherwise diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, including (but not limited to) COVID-19.  Consult a qualified physician before beginning any sort of treatment or prophylactic regimen and/or if you know or suspect that you currently have COVID-19.  Anyone who takes or does anything mentioned (or alluded to) in this or any other TSAP article does so entirely at their own risk and liability.  The TSAP thus makes absolutely no warranties, express or implied, and is not liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages resulting from any act or omission on the part of the reader(s) or others.  Caveat lector.

This is the updated, refined, and abbreviated Part 2.  For the original Part 1, please see here.

What if the cure for COVID-19 already existed, not just recently, but for decades?  What if the death toll past, present, and future could be or have been reduced to a mere tiny fraction of what it is and is predicted to be without it?  What if it was such a game-changer that it would make vaccines and expensive new drugs obsolete, to say nothing of returning very quickly, seamlessly, and fearlessly to the "old normal" that we all miss so much now (that is, if we would have ever even departed from it at all)?  And what if it consisted entirely of relatively safe and cheap generics and nutritional supplements all along?

Sounds too good to be true, right?  Well, apparently it is true after all, despite all the best efforts of hyper-partisan lockdown enthusiasts, Big Pharma, and their government enablers to suppress and sabotage it.  More and more doctors and scientists all over the world are learning about it every day, in fact.

First, let's define the term "cure" for the purposes of this article.  We do not mean a "silver bullet" type of treatment in the same way that antibiotics singlehandedly cure bacterial infections, since this type of virus, like the common cold and flu, is really defeated by our bodies' own immune systems.  Usually that does the job just fine, but clearly not always.  Sometimes it needs a little help from outside.  Thus, we define a "cure" as any treatment protocol that reduces the death rate and/or hospitalization/ICU rate dramatically (by at least 50%) compared to no such treatment, and can thus be considered a game-changer.  Anything that can save that many lives and/or free up that many hospital resources would indeed be a game-changer by definition.

There is in fact already such a certain alternative treatment protocol that has gotten such a bad rap in the mainstream due to grossly improper use (and its infamous guilt by association with certain politicians who promoted it) that some countries and states have even banned it (or at least a key component of it) despite its rather promising effectiveness in saving lives when used early, properly, and under the advice of a qualified physician.  For example, Switzerland briefly banned it and subsequently lifted the ban, effectively creating a natural experiment, and the results speak for themselves in terms of death rates (which rose fourfold during the ban and then dropped back to what they were before the ban when it was lifted).  And the Brazilian state of Para saw death rates plummet after introducing it, while India's rather low per capita death rate (despite their epidemic being out of control for months) can also perhaps be explained by such treatment.

In fact, it seems to be one of the strongest factors in predicting a country's (or region's) per capita death rate, especially after adjusting for the average age of the population.  Meanwhile, the presence or relative stringency of lockdowns generally shows no clear correlation and in fact, within Europe and within the USA, a rather perverse correlation with death rates.

So what is this treatment protocol?  There are several variants, but the one that seems to be the best of all is the one developed and further refined by a group of Swiss doctors, and is as follows in their words:

Treatment protocol

Prophylaxis

1. Zinc (50mg to 100mg per day)
2. Quercetin (500mg to 1000mg per day)
3. Bromhexine (25mg to 50mg per day)
4. Vitamins C (1000mg) and D (2000 u/d)

Early treatment

1. Zinc (75mg to 150mg per day)
2. Quercetin (500mg to 1500mg per day)
3. Bromhexine (50mg to 75mg per day)
4. Vitamins C (1000mg) and D (4000 u/d)

Ancillary (prescription only)

1. Hydr*xychlor*qu*ne (400mg per day)
2. High-dose vitamin D (1x 100,000 IU)
3. Azithromycin (up to 500mg per day)
4. Heparin (usual dosage)

Note: Contraindications for HCQ (e.g. favism or heart disease) must be observed. 

Addendum: Other prescription drugs with first reported successes in the early medical treatment of Covid-19 are ivermectin (read more) and favipiravir (read more).

Their original protocol prior to August 5, 2020 did not include Bromhexine, but that was added due to recently mounting evidence that it is at least as much of a game-changer as HCQ if not more so.  While it is typically used as a mucolytic expectorant for coughs and chest congestion, apparently it can also incidentally prevent the virus from getting into our cells in the first place, thus rendering the virus impotent in the face of treatment.  While Bromhexine is available over the counter (OTC) in most countries worldwide including the UK, EU, Australia, Mexico, and much of Asia, it is unfortunately still not available yet in the USA as the FDA has yet to approve it, so Americans would likely have to stick to the original five-component version for the time being unless they are currently abroad.  That is probably why most Americans have probably never even heard of it.

So how does the whole thing work?  This synergistic cocktail does the following, in their own words, with linked citations:

Mechanisms of action 

Zinc inhibits RNA polymerase activity of coronaviruses and thus blocks virus replication. Hydr*xychl*roqu*ne and quercetin support the cellular absorption of zinc and have additional anti-viral properties. Bromhexine inhibits the expression of the cellular TMPRSS2 protease and thus the entry of the virus into the cell. Azithromycin prevents bacterial superinfections. Heparin prevents infection-related thromboses and embolisms in patients at risk. (See scientific references below). 

See also: Illustration of the mechanisms of action of HCQ, quercetin and bromhexine

The Swiss doctors do note that early treatment is best, ideally before hospitalization, as is prophylactic use for high-risk and high-exposure persons.  The sooner, the better.  If taken too late, such as when already in critical condition, its usefulness is quite limited.  But even if already hospitalized, better late than never.

So exactly how successful are we talking here?  Again, in their own words: 

Treatment successes

Zinc/HCQ/AZ: US physicians reported an 84% decrease in hospitalization rates, a 50% decrease in mortality rates among already hospitalized patients (if treated early), and an improvement in the condition of patients within 8 to 12 hours. Italian doctors reported a decrease in deaths of 66%.

US physicians also reported a 45% reduction in mortality of hospitalized patients by adding zinc to HCQ/AZ. Another US study reported a rapid resolution of Covid symptoms, such as shortness of breath, based on early outpatient treatment with high-dose zinc.

Bromhexine: Iranian doctors reported in a study with 78 patients a decrease in intensive care treatments of 82%, a decrease in intubations of 89%, and a decrease in deaths of 100%. Chinese doctors reported a 50% reduction in intubations. Bromhexine is a mucolytic cough medication.

Vitamin D: In a Spanish randomized controlled trial (RCT), high-dose vitamine D (100,000 IU) reduced the risk of requiring intensive care by 96%. A large Israeli study found a strong link between vitamin D deficiency and covid-19 severity.

Pretty impressive, right?  Let those numbers sink in for a moment.  Talk about a game-changer!

And if one still needs to be hospitalized, they go on to recommend that ventilators be avoided as much as possible as they tend to be counterproductive, and opt instead for the far less-invasive high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) to deliver live oxygen therapy.

The very most impressive part of all is actually the recently-added Vitamin D component, high bolus doses of which appear to nearly abolish the risk of ICU admission (96% reduction) and death (100% reduction) entirely when given to hospitalized COVID patients.  And lower doses can be also used for prophylaxis and early treatment as well, of course.

(Courtesy of Swiss Policy Research.  Worth reading in full from the original source.)

A word of caution about HCQ:  While it seems to work very well when used early, properly, and under the advice of a qualified physician, that does NOT mean that anyone should just take such heavy artillery willy-nilly.  Ditto for azithromycin or any other antibiotic.  These powerful drugs can have serious side effects when taken improperly, excessively, or when medically contraindicated, which is why they are still prescription-only in most (but not all) countries even after decades of being on the market.  Don't hoard them either, since plenty of non-COVID patients also depend on these medications as well.  Don't take (H)CQ with any drug that prolongs the QT interval either. And unless you really, really want to win a Darwin Award, do NOT ingest any fish tank cleaner just because it happens to be related and has a similar name!  When in doubt, stick with Quercetin and zinc, with of course plenty of vitamin C and D as well to further boost the immune system and synergize with the former.

(Quercetin, a naturally occurring plant bioflavonoid found in various foods, is readily available as a nutritional supplement in numerous stores nationwide and worldwide.  The TSAP likes to affectionately call it "Vitamin Q". And no one would dare to ban that, of course, since doing so would just give the game away at this point.  They'd rather simply ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist.)

And of course, for any critical cases, we know now (through clinical trial and error) that there are always corticosteroids to fall back on as well, particularly dexamethasone, and possibly inhaled ones like budesonide as well.  Their effectiveness in saving lives is apparently good but limited.  Given that they inherently suppress the immune system, they should NOT be given early, only for cases that are bad enough that respiratory support is needed.  That is, steroids are used to quell the dreaded "cytokine storm" of severe inflammation that occurs when the body basically nukes itself in a desperate (and counterproductive) attempt to rid it of the virus.  The fact that it took months to figure that out really speaks volumes.  And it is practically the only thing that both pro-HCQ and anti-HCQ studies seem to agree upon.

(The jury is still out on whether early budesonide use specifically has any additional benefits.)

But wait, there's more.  As of September 9, 2020, there is a new hypothesis, the bradykinin hypothesis, which posits that the main way that COVID-19 kills is via a bradykinin storm rather than a purely cytokine storm, though the two storms are likely intertwined.  If that's the case, then there are various additional existing drugs that target the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), and it also further strengthens the case for Vitamin D (which can apparently quell both kinds of storms) as a treatment and prophylaxis, for which evidence continues to mount as we speak.

There is also another treatment and prophylaxis protocol worth considering by Dr. Shiva Ayyadurai involving Vitamin A and iodine/iodide as well as Vitamins C and D to build up one's immune system as well.  And this was deduced way back in March!  Please do be careful with Vitamin A though, since unlike with C and D, it is fairly easy to overdose on.  Ditto for Lugol's iodine solution as well.

Bill Sardi also has his own take as well, also recommending Vitamins A, D, and zinc, selenium, as well as resveratrol and inositol.  He also notes that Glycyrrhizin, found naturally in licorice, is very promising as it has been found to have antiviral properties against many viruses, including the original SARS coronavirus whose RNA is 80% similar to SARS-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Also, please note that the TSAP is NOT a Trump-supporting party, in fact we despise him and want him to lose the 2020 election.  But as we know, sometimes a stopped clock can be right twice a day in regards to HCQ, albeit with the truth being a bit more nuanced.  And he could partially and belatedly atone for some of his misdeeds with the simple stroke of his executive pen, namely by passing an emergency use (if not permanent) authorization for the importation, manufacture, and use of Bromhexine.  If countries as strict as the UK and Australia can approve it long ago for OTC use, surely we can do the same over here.  And also, make low-dose HCQ OTC (or at least behind the counter) as well, like several countries already do, perhaps subject to rationing.

(And, of course, Trump can also use the Defense Production Act to force the production and distribution of PPE to hospitals, albeit belatedly, so nurses don't have to keep reusing PPE.  And then he can go do us all a YUUUGE favor and RESIGN.)

Nutrition in general seems to play a key role in who survives COVID and who doesn't.  And not just Vitamin C and D--there several other important nutrients worth considering as well.  For example, glutathione, and the supplement N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which is a key precursor to glutathione, also seems to have rather promising effects as well.  NAC is also a good liver detox and hangover cure as well, which is probably what it is most famous for.  Selenium, and also EGCG from green tea, look rather promising as well.  A multivitamin supplement containing both selenium and its synergistic "buddy",  Vitamin E, would likely be good to take daily.  And, of course, as noted earlier in this article, whatever you do, don't forget the zinc!

In fact, we will go out on a limb and make the following extremely audacious claim:  Had the United States government (as well as other countries) decided instead to avoid lockdowns and shutdowns entirely, let the virus run its course, and simply made all of the aforementioned drugs in this article readily available for free or cheap from the start to all those who needed them, especially for high-risk and high-exposure groups, while also recommending and providing the general population with vitamins A, C and D, Quercetin, zinc, et al., we would very likely have saved a LOT more lives at a tiny fraction of the cost.  And of course, no collateral damage either.  But that would have made far too much sense, of course.

Thus, the cure has apparently been right under our noses all along.  It is long past time to stop playing politics and put it to good use, ending this nightmare once and for all.  So what are we waiting for?

Stay healthy everyone,

The True Spirit of America Party

NOVEMBER UPDATE:  Some studies also suggest that the heartburn medication famotidine (e.g. Pepcid AC) is effective in reducing the risk of death and intubation in hospitalized COVID patients as well.  Another thing we forgot to mention is inositol (Vitamin B8), which may also be of benefit both physically and mentally.  Another good article can be found here as well.  Additionally, thiamine or benfotiamine (Vitamin B1) also appears to be important as well, ditto for Niacin (Vitamin B3).

It is also worth noting that Trump himself, who recently contracted and subsequently recovered from COVID-19, had received a cocktail of drugs and supplements early on that include several of those mentioned above.  In addition to Regeneron's now-famous experimental lab-created antibody treatment and Gilead's experimental antiviral drug remdesivir, he was also given Vitamin D, zinc, famotidine, melatonin, and a daily aspirin (a notable blood thinner), and subsequently given the steroid dexamethasone and oxygen therapy when his oxygen levels dropped too low.  Surprisingly, he was not given HCQ or azithromycin this time around, despite the fact that he had famously taken it prophylactically a few months ago.  And while he clearly got the royal treatment unlike the typical COVID patient, his advanced age (74) and obesity would have made him a dead man walking, thus there was clearly something about the treatment he received and the cocktail he took that had saved his life.  While Regeneron's experimental (and expensive) antibody treatment is the rockstar here, the other things mentioned most likely played a significant role as well, while remdesivir remains questionable at best.

(Regeneron's monoclonal antibody cocktail, by the way, is really just a fancy and expensive version of antibodies from convalescent plasma, by the way.  They simply make it in the lab as opposed to gleaning natural antibodies from recovered COVID patients.)

Please do note that if you take aspirin, be sure to take plenty of Vitamin C as well, since aspirin can deplete Vitamin C levels, which may very well be the actual root cause of its adverse side effects.  And, of course, don't overdo it on the aspirin either.  Nevertheless, the Swiss doctors also recently added aspirin (as an alternative to heparin) to their protocol as well.  

DECEMBER UPDATE:  Of note, the Swiss doctors, the Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance, and some others' protocols now include the increasingly promising, repurposed drug Ivermectin as well, to one degree or another.  This one alone is apparently quite the game-changer, for early treatment, late treatment, and prophylaxis, yet is underrated. Ask your doctor if that is right for you.

Oh, and by the way, Gilead's remdesivir, despite costing a whopping $5000/dose and requiring a hospital stay since it is administered by IV infusion, seems to be a failure.  At best, it's like another Tamiflu but with more side effects, basically.  Not surprising, since it is literally nothing more than a failed (and conveniently repurposed) Ebola drug that interestingly also happens to be a bunk version (loose analog) of a nicotinic acid (niacin) mononucleotide precursor according to Dr. Dmitry Kats.  Meanwhile, Dr. Kats himself apparently discovered months ago that the real thing, niacin (nicotinic acid, aka Vitamin B3) itself, at about 20 cents per 1000 mg dose, actually does work as prophylaxis and even as a practically overnight cure for COVID.  It has to be the immediate-release, "flush" kind in order for it to work, since the classic "niacin flush" reaction is a feature, not a bug.  And niacin has numerous other health benefits as well while being practically harmless when used as directed.  The censors, however, are not at all pleased with his findings.  Gee, I wonder why?

As for long-haulers (those suffering from longer-term COVID after-effects), many of the reported symptoms sound a lot like those of deficiencies in several of the aforementioned key nutrients, particularly Vitamin D (in general), Vitamin B1 (dysautonomia and recurring fevers), and zinc (loss of smell and taste).  Correcting these deficiencies would likely work very well to promote healing.  And according to Dr. Dmitry Kats, there is also at least anecdotal evidence as well that niacin (Vitamin B3) can be beneficial as well in healing from remnant COVID damage, which is not really surprising given how well it works to treat acute COVID (as he discovered in his RCT study).

Of note, Ivermectin also seems to work for long-haulers as well, to the tune of 94%.

FINAL THOUGHT:  As for HCQ, one reason why some studies have not found benefits (aside from treating too late or with excessive doses, if not deliberate sabotage) is that it was clearly NOT given with zinc, in which case it seems to be hit-or-miss.  In contrast, when it IS given with zinc, as per the Zelenko Protocol, and especially early enough, practically all studies find significant benefit.  HCQ is, among other things, a good zinc ionophore that carries zinc ions into the cells where they can work more efficiently in inhibiting viral replication.  That is, zinc is what actually does the real heavy lifting here.  And guess what?  As noted earlier in this article, Quercetin can do the same thing, and safer too, with additional benefits as well.  So what are we waiting for?