Low doses of radiation can kill the coronavirus. This was stated by Russian scientists, RIA Novosti reports.
According to them, a new way to get rid of the virus does not harm humans. Experts are studying the radiation impact on COVID-19 together with colleagues from the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan. In the course of a joint study, it was possible to find out the features of the effect of soft X-rays and ultraviolet radiation on the coronavirus.
Professor of the Ural Federal University Anatoly Zatsepin noted that “the essence of this pioneering idea is that a huge RNA molecule of this virus, when it enters a human cell, is forced to deform strongly in many areas along its length.” It turned out that deformed places along the molecule are thousands of times more sensitive to radiation exposure than molecules of healthy cells. “From this it followed that small doses of radiation, destructive for the virus, would be absolutely safe for healthy cells,” the scientist concluded.
At the moment, specialists are working on a treatment method. According to them, radiation exposure can also be used for disinfection.
Earlier, scientists from the University of Tübingen discovered in the human body the enzyme guanylate kinase 1 (GK1), which affects the spread of coronavirus in the body. The researchers conducted an experiment during which they removed this enzyme from the cell. Thanks to manipulation, the spread of the coronavirus has stopped.