Interim analysis of an open‐label randomized controlled trial evaluating nasal irrigations in non‐hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019

Int Forum Allergy Rhinol -Response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has primarily focused on pharmacologic and medical interventions, including antivirals, 1 convalescent sera, 2 and vaccinations, 3 with each potentially critical in the fight against COVID-19, particularly among high-risk and hospitalized populations. Non-hospitalized patients with mild to moderate disease comprise an estimated 81% of those affected with COVID-19, 4 and there are currently no widely available interventions with proven ability to hasten symptom resolution or reduce viral shedding. We started an open-label randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effect of nasal irrigation with hypertonic saline (HTS) or saline with surfactant on upper respiratory symptoms and viral load. Viral shedding is highest in the nasal