Ivermectin relief for Covid-19 - does it work?

Ivermectin has recently been promoted in the news as a preventative medicine to protect against Covid-19, and/or relieve the symptoms of infection, and to aid recovery

Firstly, Ivermectin is a drug developed for the control of intestinal round worms in sheep, cattle and horses. It was never intended as an antiviral medication.

The reports of its effectiveness against Covid-19 and the more recent Delta variant have now been discredited.

According to the Guardian, "The efficacy of a drug being promoted by rightwing figures worldwide for treating Covid-19 is in serious doubt after a major study suggesting the treatment is effective against the virus was withdrawn due to “ethical concerns”.

"The preprint study on the efficacy and safety of ivermectin – a drug used against parasites such as worms and headlice – in treating Covid-19, led by Dr Ahmed Elgazzar from Benha University in Egypt, was published on the Research Square website in November". 

Ivermectin can however be prescribed for human use in human sized doses for the elimination of hard to kill internal parasites and well as external parasites head lice, body lice, crabs and scabies mites.

Scabies mites are often difficult to eliminate due to their developed resistance to traditional treatments; malathion, lindane, crotamiton, and benzyl benzoate, as well as likely emerging resistance to 5% permethrin. Scabies mites have even begun to show growing resistance to Ivermectin as well.

These problems have led to the successful development of a natural scabies treatment formulated with New Zealand Manuka and Tea Tree oil, cream and soap.

Back to treatment for Covid-19, as an immunity support, the most effective natural product identified so far is propolis made by bees for the protection of their beehive from infection.

Propolis is a proven antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal product which can be taken in either liquid tincture form or in capsules.