Dr. Oz to Newsmax TV: Consensus Coronavirus Could Slow in Summer

There is a consensus the novel coronavirus, like most viruses, might slow down with warmer weather, TV's Dr. Mehmet Oz agreed on Newsmax TV Tuesday, but he admitted there is not yet a lot of insight about the disease.

"We're not 100% sure," Oz told Bob Sellers, the host of Newsmax TV's "American Agenda," for an interview airing on the network's "The Chris Salcedo Show." "I've talked to a lot of experts.

"The fog of war clouds the advice you give because we don't want to say something that's diametrically opposite," he added.

Part of the confusion is there have not been enough people studied and examined, Oz said. 

"This country probably has done 2,000 tests for coronavirus, so we're basing a lot of our advice on what's happening in China," Oz said. "The belief is that the virus, like most, will slow down this summer."

Oz said his advice is for people to eat well, which "helps a lot," or take some supplements, such as vitamins D or C, and "zinc is probably beneficial in shortening the duration of illness."

He added, he likes beta-glucan, a mushroom extract, and elderberry, an "old remedy." Such solutions have been looked at in different viral situations, he said, but they are not yet proven for coronavirus. 

He also said he "certainly" would not do anything drastic about pets at this point, as nobody really knows if they can get sick from the illness and "don't seem to be a major factor."

The doctor also pointed out, nobody will really know if they have the virus unless they are tested.

"Any fever, dry hacking cough, even diarrhea, you have to think you might have the coronavirus," Oz said. "Stay home; don't contaminate people."

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