The Need for a Paradigm Shift in the Existing Strategies for Effective COVID-19 Control

The coronavirus pandemic is a global challenge affecting lives and livelihoods globally. With two years into the pandemic, hundreds of millions have been infected and mortality has reached millions despite the progress in COVID- 19 vaccination and vaccine availability. The continual emergence of new COVID-19 variants warrants a more comprehensive approach. The present opinion intends to get stakeholders and researchers aware of the possibility of natural products, ginseng and functional foods to be a game-changer in control of COVID-19 infection, if their continuous research against COVID-19 infection is supported. Emerging variants of COVID-19 have threatened the current COVID-19 vaccination campaigns demanding additional measures. There must be a paradigm in research, funding, and policies from prevention to treating the infected. Developing therapies for the infected is, therefore, a promising option, especially with multitargeted medicines. Functional foods and the combined use of natural and pharmaceutical products with multiple active compounds present a great alternative for consideration. Ginseng extracts and ginsengbased products have proved effective in reducing severity and hospitalization times in multiple clinical trials for acute respiratory viral infections. Natural functional foods, honey and berries and their numerous bioactive components possess huge potential against coronavirus disease. Funding and research of natural products for effective COVID-19 control should be promoted.

Keywords:COVID-19; Coronavirus; Therapies; Natural products; Acute respiratory illness; Ginseng; Functional foods

Abbreviations:ACE2: Surface angiotensin-converting enzyme-2; CFR: Case fatality rate; CoV: Coronavirus; COVID-19: Corona virus disease 2019 caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus; H1N1: Influenza virus; MERS: Middle east respiratory syndrome; MERS-CoV: MERS caused by coronavirus; MGO: Methylglyoxal; SARS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome; SARS-CoV: SARS caused by coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; URI: Upper respiratory illness