Open AccessA perspective on yoga as a preventive strategy for coronavirus disease 2019
Author(s) -
Raghuram Nagarathna,
HR Nagendra,
Vijaya Majumdar
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of yoga/international journal of yoga
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2231-2714
pISSN - 0973-6131
DOI - 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_22_20
Subject(s) - pandemic , disease , medicine , intensive care medicine , outbreak , coronavirus , public health , covid-19 , perspective (graphical) , immune system , immunology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , virology , pathology , artificial intelligence , computer science
The pandemic outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 has led to profound public health crisis. In particular, individuals with preexisting conditions of heart disease, diabetes, cerebrovascular diseases and the elderly are most vulnerable to succumb to this infection. The current COVID-19 emergency calls for rapid development of potential prevention and management strategies against this virus-mediated disease. There is a plethora of evidence that supports the add-on benefits of yoga in stress management, as well as prevention and management of chronic noncommunicable diseases. There are some studies on the effect of yoga in communicable diseases as well but very few for acute conditions and almost none for the rapidly spreading infections resulting in pandemics. Based on the available scientific evidences on yoga in improving respiratory and immune functions, we have formulated very simple doable integrated yoga modules in the form of videos to be practiced for prevention of the disease by children, adults, and the elderly.