Scientists have been investigating the possibility that gargling may help eliminate the novel coronavirus while in the throat, but further research is still required to confirm this assumption.
Previous studies have found that only 30 seconds of gargling could eliminate similar viruses.
According to one study reported by Sky News, the ingredients in mouthwash damage the outer layer of harmful bacteria, leading experts to hope that famous mouthwash brands could eliminate COVID-19 in the throat before it reaches the lungs.
The co-director of Cardiff University’s Systems Immunity Research Institute, Professor Valerie O’Donnell, said that the safe use of mouthwash in gargling has not yet been verified.
She added that other research shows that gargling was effective against other viruses — including coronaviruses — and could reduce SARS transmission.
But research was urgently required to determine whether it could be effective against the new virus, she stressed.
