YEKATERINBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th January, 2021) Scientists from Russia and Uzbekistan have recently discovered that low doses of radiation could kill the coronavirus and its mutated variants without harming the patient, the Ural Federal University (UrFU) said on Monday.
The study of the effect of radiation on COVID-19 is being conducted by researchers from UrFU and the Uzbek academy of Sciences. The scientists have identified certain peculiarities regarding the effects of soft X-rays and ultraviolet radiation on the coronavirus.
"The essence of this pioneering idea is that when a huge RNA molecule of this virus enters a human cell, it is forced to be deformed in many areas along its length. It turned out that those deformed parts along the RNA molecule are a thousand times more sensitive to radiation than molecules of healthy cells. Notably, low-dose radiation, which is destructive for the virus, would be absolutely safe for healthy cells," UrFU professor Anatoly Zatsepin said, as quoted by the university's press service.
The team of researchers is currently working on a treatment method. According to scientists, radiation exposure is designed not only for COVID-19 but for other viruses, including their mutated variants, which in the long-term would help treat humans, as well as disinfect objects, products and premises.
At the same time, Russian virology expert Anatoly Altstein told Sputnik that low-dose radiation treatment of COVID-19 could be dangerous, advising the use of UV solely for disinfecting surfaces.
"Radiation should not be used for treatment. Besides, there are many different types of radiation. ... There is a big difference between X-rays and UV light," Altstein said, commenting on the UrFU study.
According to the virologist, X-ray radiation can harm the patients themselves.
