Using a type of antiseptic throat spray, and an oral drug used to treat malaria and arthritis, have been found effective in curbing the spread of coronavirus, according to a new study.

The six-week long study, led by researchers from the National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore, involved more than 3,000 migrant workers from India, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar living in Tuas South dormitory, the Channel News Asia reported.

The two drugs were chosen because they are easily available, said Seet, adding that they protect the throat, the "key entry" for viruses. A The findings are published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, the report said.

However, the researchers stressed that the drugs are not meant to be used for Covid-19 prevention in the general community if it is a lower-risk setting, the report said.

"This is a very simple intervention with virtually minimal side effects where we could actually cut the transmission rates in a meaningful way," Mikael Hartman, Associate Professor from the NUH was quoted as saying.

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT).