Zinc is essential for the normal development and function of your immune system, as it protects against susceptibility to pathogens, mediates natural killer cells, activates T-lymphocytes, regulates macrophages, and is central to DNA replication. You have at least 300 enzymes that require zinc to function normally. Evidence shows zinc helps protect the body from COVID-19 by impairing viral replication in the cell, supporting ciliary growth and function in the respiratory system, and improving the respiratory epithelial barrier. Colds Are Coronaviruses The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified several common human coronaviruses that are responsible for upper respiratory tract illnesses, like the common cold. Although a cold is usually a minor condition, it is also responsible for most doctor’s office visits every year. A cold can last as short as a week, but in children and the elderly, it can last longer. Cold symptoms include a stuffy head, runny …