ELVIS COVID-19

Could a simple salt water solution help to reduce the early symptoms and progression of COVID-19?

Summary (Research in a nutshell)

COVID-19 has spread worldwide radily and is now a pandemic. There is no cure for it yet. It has been seen to cause mild to moderate illness in most people but it can cause serious illness and death, particularly in the elderly, those with prolonged illness or a weakened immune system.

The ELVIS-COVID-19 study is to find out if nasal washout and gargling with salt water (hypertonic saline) helps individuals with COVID-19 get better faster.

Preliminary data from those with the common cold has found that nasal washouts and gargling with salty water may be helpful in reducing the length of the illness. We do not however know if this same benefit will also be seen in those with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

This study will help us find out if nasal washouts and gargling with salty water are helpful in COVID-19.

Key people

Name	Role
Aziz Sheikh	Co-Investigator
Sandeep Ramalingam	Co-Investigator
John Norrie	Co-Investigator
Lesley Sinclair	Trial Manager
Tony Wackett	Database developer, Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit