Nutrition is key in developing immunity against COVID-19 – Virologist
Prof. Sunday Omilabu
*Says No virus in breastmilk of COVID-19 infected mother
Nutrition plays key role in the rapid development of the immune system against viral infections, Prof Sunday Omilabu of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi Araba, has said.
Prof. Omilabu said this during an online interactions with members of the Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
“Viral infections are majorly cleared by our body defence mechanisms. It is our body immune system that fights the viral infections and we can achieve this if we have well balanced nutrition – We need vitamins, we need minerals and we can only get these through well balanced nutritious meals.
“If we have a good immune system, the viral particles will not have the chance of over-growing in our system. A good body immune system clears viral infection faster and better.
Talking about Pregnant women and Breastfeeding, he said “From the little experience, infected mothers we had during this outbreak, breastfeeding mother had no virus in her breast milk and this is not farfetched because the virus is a localized infection in the respiratory tract. It takes a longer time before the virus moves into the blood stream. It take a longer time before the virus moves into other body fluids and that is what we have seen in this instance. It is not a systemic viral infection.
On whether the virus can get into the foetus, Prof Omilabu explained, “Because it is a new disease, so we still need more studies to actually prove whether the virus can get into the foetus or not, but because we know it is localized, it will take a longer while before the virus can get into the foetus. It is an instance where we have viramia that will make it much easier for the virus to gain access into the foetus.”
On whether coronavirus is seasonal or not, Prof. Omilabu answered in affirmative, stating that “It is more rampant during the wet season and that is why you have it in winter season in Europe as well as in the United States of America (USA).
“Normally,” he said, “we have four human corona viruses that cause very mild Upper Respiratory Tract Infections. These are the ones that are common here in Nigeria. Prior to the incidence of SARS-Coronavirus between 2002 December, there was another coronavirus called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus. It is also another coronavirus responsible for severe respiratory disease. Then come 2019, there is another severe corona virus called SARS-COV2. SARS-COV 2 is related to SARS-COV 1, because of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
