Amid panic, a fresh struggle to quell misinformation ensues

SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ Despite repeated calls by authorities to shun rumours and reassurances from the govt on preparedness, several rumours have been doing the rounds

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked Indians to reject rumours regarding the new coronavirus infection, even as experts and health care professionals in the country continue battling misinformation over the disease apart from keeping a round-theclock watch on possible signs of the infection in the people.

Despite repeated calls by authorities to stay from rumours and reassurances from health care professionals on the preparedness against the disease, several rumours have been doing the rounds on social media and messaging platforms.

Scientists across the world are still searching for a cure for the new disease, which has killed at least 3,500 people globally.

Hindustan Times takes a look at a few of them to debunk the misinformation spread by the rumours.

THE SWEET PILL

A school in Noida recently recommended a homeopathic drug in its coronavirus advisory, saying it could fight against the spread of the infection.

Reports also said that the drug was distributed by officials in Telangana after the first case was reported in the state.

“My father-in-law wanted me to stock up homoeopathic medicine,” said Vashita Moondra from Kolkata, reacting to questions over the rumours.

A doctor, who was on Saturday answering calls at Delhi’s coronavirus helpline, said several people asked him about similar reports.

“I tell them that there is no cure for the viral infection so far; they need to prevent it by washing hands regularly and coughing and sneezing into a tissue or a bent elbow,” the doctor said on condition of anonymity.

After facing flak for an advisory asking people to use homeopathy medicine against the infection, the ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy,

Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) recently issued a rejoinder, saying it was a “preventive measure and not claiming to be a treatment advice for the coronavirus infection”.

“Nowhere have we claimed that these medicines will cure Covid-19. It is a new disease and no one has a cure for it…,” a senior ministry official said on condition of anonymity.

“The advisory is being misused by people circulating such messages on social media. People must not just start taking any medicine; they should first consult practitioners of respective pathies,” the official added.

HOME REMEDIES

An “old Chinese doctor” swears by freshly boiled garlic water to cure Covid-19, said a message doing the rounds on WhatsApp and Facebook.

Suman Raikwar, a resident of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, said: “What is this new disease? Should I start consuming more garlic and onion? That’s what they are saying in the messages.” A TikTok user said onions consumed with salt could cure the disease.

Dr Nevin Kishore, head of the bronchology department at Max Superspeciality Hospital, Saket, said: “There are all sorts of messages doing the rounds on social media – cow dung and urine, something to do with onions, and homoeopathic treatments. There is no science behind it. This is all false information but people are so paranoid right now, they are buying into all of this. In a country of 1.3 billion people, there are just 34 positive cases and as far as I know, none of them has even required ventilation,” said.

“I am a pulmonologist and even I am getting such messages... There is no treatment for it and for many other viral illnesses…,” said Dr Kishore.

Some celebrities and politicians said recently that performing ancient vedic rituals and using cow dung could help in the fight against the infection.

Dr BK Tripathi, professor of medicine at the Safdarjung Hospital, where patients who tested positive have been admitted to the isolation wards, said: “All this is a hoax. So far, there is no medicine for the disease even in allopathy. Scientists are still working on it. What people need to do is follow proper hand-hygiene and cover their mouths while coughing or sneezing. There is no need to panic and follow these unproven remedies,” said.

Dr Rima Dada, a professor at the department of anatomy at AIIMS who has studied the impact of yoga on various diseases including glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis, said: “We have studied the impact of yoga and it is good for your overall health. We have learned that yoga can reduce the biological age thereby preventing or delaying the onset of chronic lifestyle diseases. However, I am not sure of the impact of yoga on viral illnesses,” Dada said.

So far over 30 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in India. The deadly virus has so far killed more than 3,200 people globally.

SOME CELEBRITIES AND POLITICIANS SAID RECENTLY THAT PERFORMING ANCIENT VEDIC RITUALS AND USING COW DUNG COULD HELP IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THE NEW VIRUS INFECTION