The coronavirus is an enveloped virus--meaning it has an outer membrane made of oil and fat that

[iluvtennis]

Eugene Gu, MD@eugenegu
The coronavirus is an enveloped virus—meaning it has an outer membrane made of oil and fat that it steals from our own cells by pinching off a piece of our cell membranes in a process called viral shedding. It allows the virus to evade our immune system but there’s a trade off.

All enveloped viruses like the coronavirus are extremely susceptible to simple soaps and detergents of any kind. That’s because soap literally explodes the outer membranes of these viruses. Without the envelope, they can’t invade our cells or cause any harm. They just simply die.

So while alcohol-based hand sanitizers are effective at killing the coronavirus on our hands, and should be used at every opportunity, nothing can replace the gold standard of washing our hands with good old fashioned soap and water, which also physically removes dirt and debris.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[CaptYossarian]

1. Now that we know that, Pence can go back to doing nothing.

He's safer that way.

[Javaman]

24. the houseplant

?itok=OY9L9giK

[dewsgirl]

26. LoL😂

[Bernardo de La Paz]

27. Some saying tRump made Pence tsar so he could in summer ditch him for Nikki Haley as VP. . . . nt

[DesertRat]

33. I think that will happen

Especially if one of the candidates on our ticket is a woman.

[CaptYossarian]

36. Amazing how a science denier has discovered inertia.

[central scrutinizer]

2. I thought he was describing Trump

He’s a virus enveloped in oil and fat, as well. Unfortunately, no matter how often I wash my hands, he’s still here

[iluvtennis]

3. 😂 nt

[Dave in VA]

5. You owe me a new laptop!

Just spewed soda all over it!!!

Thanks for the laugh!

[karin_sj]

7. Me too (lol!)

[IronLionZion]

8. I had the same thought

[BamaRefugee]

9. bwahahahahahahaha!

[SammyWinstonJack]

10. Ha!

[Bluethroughu]

16. Omg, that made my day!

Lol

[sandensea]

19. Now THAT needs to go viral!

[chowder66]

20. You win! nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

21. That pretty much describes him. nt

[smb]

41. Trump Is Oil And Fat All The Way Through, Not Just The Outer Layer nt

[DBoon]

49. "soap literally explodes the outer membranes of these viruses"

I would not want to be anywhere near Trump should this happen

[Runningdawg]

4. Please don't forget

Wash your eyeglasses with hot soapy water EVERY day. All parts of them - not just the lens.
Wipe down your phone with an antibacterial wipe EVERY day.

[DesertRat]

35. Good reminder. Thanks

[Pepsidog]

6. Gotta love Dr.Gu!

[Texin]

11. Well then bioscientists need to discover a nasal/respiratory soap STAT.

I'm being somewhat facetious here, but this virus is spread as much through the respiratory tract - from carriers and infected persons coughing and sneezing into the air. There isn't any soap or water that can "wash" them out of their nasal and respiratory passages. Sure, people sneeze into their tissues and handkerchiefs and transfer the virus on their hands in the process. But they then, in turn, transfer them directly onto any surface those hands come in contact with, unless they then immediately wash their hands "with soap and water" (or use antimicrobial wipes or gels).

Until there's a remedy to the airborne viral infection, there will still be widespread contamination.

[Farmer-Rick]

12. Interesting.

So the possibly infected people who shook hands with Pence may not of infected him....too bad.

Now if Pence were smart, he would get some of that virus, on his hands or whatever body part and touch Trump wit it. Since Trump is going to dump Pence anyway. The whole purpose of putting Pence in charge of stopping an inevitable avalanching virus spread was so Trump has an excuse to put daddy's doll baby in as VP.

But if Pence can insure he infects Trump....it would probably kill Trump since he is over 70 and has a preexisting condition.


Pence on the other hand would probably survive the illness.

[lunatica]

18. You make sense about Pence being set up to fail

Sad.

[C Moon]

22. Probably true: so he has an excuse to get a woman running mate for 2020.

[CaptYossarian]

38. It worked for McCain.

The last qualified Republican.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

47. Or maybe tRump engineered for Pence to get the virus and use that as excuse to dump him. . . . nt

[3catwoman3]

13. Would that we could wash away Trump...

...with just soap and water.

[CaptYossarian]

39. Penicillin.

[moniss]

44. From

your keyboard to God's ears.

[GemDigger]

14. Hey Doc, How does that help with AIRBORNE droplets that can reach up to 6 feet?

I got it, walk around with soapy hands and kung fu the germs.

[moniss]

43. Slather

your nostrils, lips and inside your mouth with a bar of Irish Spring. I go for the Icy Blast flavor.

[GemDigger]

46. Made for men but I like it too!

[moniss]

55. I knew

if I left that part out someone would remember.

[Sloumeau]

15. iluvtennis , thanks for posting this! :)

I am very pro soap and water.

[iluvtennis]

50. You're welcome.

[marble falls]

17. First rational thing I've seen about the virus. Couldn't have come from the White House.

[Leith]

23. Here is a side bit that I found interesting

Those who whine about evolution and claim that there is no way that proteins and amino acids can't develop into a cell without divine intervention: this is how it's done.

There are strands of RNA and DNA (simple viruses, not necessarily infectious diseases) that are able to attach other substances to themselves as a protective shield. Over millions and billions of years of evolution, those protective shields for a surrounding protective barrier that eventually turn into a cell membrane. Voila! A primitive cell.

Don't get me started on how they develop the ability to get together with other cells for their mutual benefit to form multicellular organisms.

[ancianita]

25. The pharmacology of elderberry juice is not woo. It sells for $25 at Walgreen's, and is for those

who might actually breathe in, rather than be touched by, coronavirus.

Elderberry juice contains the same cover-stripping effect on coronavirus, so that it cannot inject into body cells.

Sambucus nigra and elderberry have close pharmacological properties.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Mechanism-of-action-of-the-bioactive-compounds-of-Sambucus-nigra-on-influenza-A-virus_fig2_322071023



https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/blog/elderberry’s-anti-viral-activity-update

I'm not a doctor. Just offering other information I've come upon, in the spirit that we've got to try everything to try to outlive this scourge.

Any doctors in the house might let us know if this might be worth a look.

[appalachiablue]

45. Elderberry looks good, thanks

[iluvtennis]

51. Going to try some elderberry team. Thank you ancianita! nt

[ancianita]

54. ...

I just bought some bottle syrup to try. Maybe we can compare notes in the future.

[OneBlueDotBama]

52. Interesting, as my father smelled of elderberries.

Please don't ask about my mother....

[Tree-Hugger]

58. I heard she was a hamster.....nt

[jberryhill]

28. I simply maintain a layer of soap on my entire body

[tblue37]

31. Get a Slip 'n Slide and coat it with soapy water, for speed coating. nt

[jberryhill]

32. That is how I leave the house

[Roland99]

42. Hmm....intriguing concept...

[moniss]

40. Doesn't

that build up after awhile and sort of encase you like a wax figure? Oh...wait........maybe that's the point?

[flibbitygiblets]

48. This would explain Pence's appearance

[moniss]

56. Yes

indeed. Years of buildup.

[librechik]

29. Thanks for this informative post.

[Nitram]

30. Thanks for posting.

[gademocrat7]

34. Good information.

[moniss]

37. I had

parents who raised children like wild animals so please forgive me but are you saying I'm supposed to wash my hands? I've never done that before but I seemed to fit right in at the local Waffle House. How long do I leave them in the washer? But on a serious note this is good info from the OP. But I am serious about the wild animal/parent thing.

[iluvtennis]

53. 😂. Welcome to DU moniss. nt

[moniss]

57. Nice to be

in any group that will have me at this point in life. That's the great thing about the internet. Nobody knows if I changed my t-shirt this week or not.