28 million COVID-19 cases reported in the United States, with over 500,000 deaths from the disease. And although vaccination programs are in full operation to curb the spread, there is still an urgent need for other ways to prevent COVID-19.For SARS-CoV-2 to trigger an infection in someone, it must enter the body and attach to ACE2 receptors on cells.
These receptors appear throughout the body, including the vascular system, nose and throat, and the brain, with abundant expression in the lungs and small intestines.The process of infecting cells begins when SARS-CoV-2 enters the body through the nose or mouth.