Although they have developed a vaccine against COVID-19, mass immunization on a global scale will not be achieved for a long time, and an additional challenge are new versions of SARS-CoV-2 with increased virulence. Therefore, it is necessary to look for new ways to prevent and treat this disease. Among the more interesting alternative agents for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 disease is the glycoprotein lactoferrin, which acts against SARS-CoV-2 in various ways. Its action can be antiviral, by binding to heparan sulphate proteoglycans on the cell surface which prevents entry of the virus into the host cell, immunomodulatory, where binding to cells of the innate and acquired immune system affects their function, and iron sequestration to prevent iron overload in the cell, formation of oxygen reactive radicals and consequent non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation which can lead to ferroptosis. Bovine lactoferrin could be used to treat COVID-19, as it is no different from human lactoferrin and is easy to obtain from cow's milk or whey. Lactoferrin could be administered orally, which would require the development of the right formulation to provide protection against protease digestion and bioavailability. In this way, lactoferrin could prevent development of COVID-19 from mild to severe, manifested in acute respiratory distress syndrome, hypercoagulation, hyperferritinemia, hemoglobin damage, etc.
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