3 year old Krishiv Ved practicing Jal Neti nasal rinse (also works great for COVID!)

All types of nasal irrigation are fantastic as a tool to help prevent and treat early ALL (upper) respiratory infections. Any kind of nasal irrigation works, whether it be neti pot, nasal rinse bottle (such as NeilMed), Navage or Alkalol tube.

For prevention, it's probably best to use just saline (salt and water), so as not to disturb the nasal microbiome (beneficial bacteria). For treatment it can be a good idea to add a safe antiseptic to the saline, such as dilute iodine, hydrogen peroxide, baby shampoo or Alkalol. Nasal irrigation has been done in India for a thousand years (jal neti) and is commonly recommended by ENT (Ear Nose Throat) doctors.

It's best to start treatment IMMEDIATELY upon the first flu-like symptoms, just like you would extinguish a fire as early as possible. The longer you wait, the more difficult and less effective the treatment. Since nasal irrigation is so cheap, safe and well-tolerated, there's no reason to wait.

Nasal sprays can also work, but they are likely less effective because the spray does not reach every nook and cranny (especially in the absence of the right application technique) and there is no mechanical washing action. A benefit of nasal sprays is that they are more portable and less cumbersome.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hp01i4oRwo

Scientific articles on upper airway hygiene which show approximately 85-90% less hospitalizations/deaths for COVID:
1. Effect of 1%Povidone Iodine Mouthwash/Gargle, Nasal and Eye Drop in COVID-19 patient, Choudhury et al. http://www.bioresearchcommunications.com/index.php/brc/article/view/176/159
2. Rapid initiation of nasal saline irrigation: hospitalizations in COVID-19 patients randomized to alkalinization or povidone-iodine compared to a national dataset, Baxter et al. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.16.21262044v1