An Opinion: Herbal Medicines may Provide a Means of Controlling the Covid-19 Pandemic

The latest identified novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Covid-19 comes from a family of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses. Most Coronaviruses are relatively benign and many cause symptoms that we know as the ‘cold’. However, some Coronaviruses (notably SARS and MERS) are particularly worrisome as they are both highly infectious as well as being highly virulent. The recent emerging strain SARS-CoV-2, shares some features in common with the previous SARS and MERS epidemics. SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious and is readily spread by both airborne transmission and by contact with contaminated individuals and surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 has also caused a high level of mortality, yet generally not to the same % of infected people as seen during the previous SARS and MERS epidemics. Indeed, whilst the mortality rate as a percentage of overall infections globally is higher than that of a seasonal influenza strain, it is considerably less than either SARS or MERS. Furthermore, a high percentage of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals remain asymptomatic (estimates range from 10- 90% of infected individuals) and are unaccounted for in the infection statistics