Dr Nandita Iyer Profile picture
Author of 4 books https://t.co/XGpKJ06Rlu , food & health columnist (Mint Lounge, The Core), doctor, student of Hindustani music

May 6, 2021, 15 tweets

🧵*Debunking Covid19 prevention and cure myths* 🦠‼️

This is a thread of all the remedies that DO NOT prevent or cure Covid19.

These have been doing the rounds on social media /Whatsapp & many even promoted by media channels, politicians, godmen, famous personalities etc.

These fake preventions and remedies can cause more harm than good, and even turn dangerous when people lose valuable time in seeking actual medical help.

Kindly DO NOT share such unverified remedies on your platforms.

Follow the advice of your treating doctor only.

🚫Homeopathy does not cure Covid19. Fake social media posts have been recommending Aspidosperma Q20 to deal with the scramble for O2. WHO has said that it would not recommend homeopathic medications as an alternative to oxygen. Ministry of Ayush also posted that this is false.

🚫Eating onions with rock salt WILL NOT cure Covid19.
You can make a nice salad out of it, but that's about it. @PIBFactCheck shared that this is fake too.

🚫 A plant based diet will provide vitamins, minerals and fibre but it WILL NOT protect you from Covid19. Kindly don't use this as an excuse to not get vaccinated. (Pic: via WA)

🚫 Lemon drops in nostrils will do nothing to the coronavirus or oxygen levels. The virus has been shown to survive in acidic environments, and putting lemon juice in your nose will not kill the virus. It can cause extreme discomfort and damage the delicate lining of the nose.

🚫 Chyavanprash - eat it if you must, but it wont prevent or cure Covid19.

A lot of brands have jumped on the "prevent Covid with chyavanprash" bandwagon and it is unethical & opportunistic marketing.

An example of this is "clinically tested 2x immunity" from this brand.

🚫 Inhaling camphor, ajwain, cloves WILL NOT increase oxygen levels. This 'potli' may be useful to test if your sense of smell is intact and that's about it.

If SpO2 levels fall, call the emergency helplines and don't waste time on inhaling 'potlis'.

🚫 Mouth sanitising sprays are utter rubbish. It will not control any Covid19 symptoms like this brand claims and not help you build any immunity.
This spray with a random mix of spices and herbs (see below)-use it if you want to smell like a packet of garam masala.

🚫 Despite no proof of efficacy against Coronil (launched by Patanjali Ayurved in June 2020), it continues to be in demand even in May 2021. The brand had got an approved license for immunity boosting, cough and fever, but it was wrongly marketed as a cure for Covid19.

🚫 Cow dung or cow urine may be good as natural plant fertilisers, but definitely have no role in the prevention or treatment of Covid19.

It's ridiculous that this is having to be said, but every few weeks there's someone promoting this shit.

🚫 Steam inhalation WILL NOT kill coronavirus. WHO has been putting out these messages since 2020.
Recently, a group of BSF Jawans in Jharkhand were seen to be a part of a group steam inhaling camp, which could prove to be a dangerous super spreader event due to aerosols.

🚫 Don't fall for misleading articles in the media that promote some foods as anti-Covid19 or those that prevent and cure Covid19.

🚫 Yoga and pranayam ARE NOT useful in case of an emergency- if the Sp02 levels fall below 80, you should be in an ICU, not doing pranayama. A delay in getting medical help could lead to serious consequences. Pl trust your doctor’s advice only.

#Fact: If you change the spelling to sudosyntific naansuns, it still remains pseudoscientific nonsense.

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