As Covid-19 cases rise, so do myths about coronavirus cure. From onion to rock salt and tea to cow dung, Indians are mouthing suggestions on a daily basis to cure the disease, which is claiming over 4,000 lives and infecting a little less than four lakh cases daily.
Centre's PIB Fact check is inundated with such claims arising from every nook and corner of the country. On an average, it is calling out four to five such widespread misinformation on social media every day. MyGovMythBusters is also doing the same.
Even during the first wave of Covid-19, myths and fake remedies had led the government to press its wings with the Press Information Bureau countering the menace by asking people to beware of click baits in the garb of information on coronavirus.
Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube, Microsoft and LinkedIn had then issued a joint statement resolving to fight the menace of fake news around the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the first wave of Covid-19, the therapies prescribed included cabbage, garlic, gourd juice. This time, the prescriptions have been more 'innovative' with many suggesting chewing betel leaves and drinking tea to treat coronavirus-infected patients. There was a claim that alum or 'fitkari', a transparent salt-like substance that is used in cooking as well as for medicinal purposes, can cure coronavirus. Another batted for rock salt ('sendha namak' or 'kala namak'), claiming it could be the wonder drug.
"News stating that COVID patients are recovering from the intake of rock salt along with raw onion are FAKE! Don’t fall prey to misinformation!" the government said. A purported message by the head of Command Hospital Air Force, Bangalore (CHAFB) claiming that inhaling hot water steam kills #COVID19 is also fake, according to the PIB Fact Check.
The Fact Check also stamped as fake a virtual audio message on social media that claimed that deaths attributed to Covid-19 are happening due to 5G network testing. Another message claimed that prolonged usage of masks leads to the intoxication of CO2 and oxygen deficiency in the body, while another one said women should not take the Covid-19 vaccine five days before and after their menstrual cycle. Both were vehemently countered.
These myths do not dominate social media alone but have travelled to the ground as well.
A video of cow dung therapy from a cow shelter Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam in which people were seen smearing cow dung and urine over their bodies prompted Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav to post on Twitter, "'Should we laugh or cry."
US-based Faheem Younu tweeted: "IMPORTANT: Use of cow dung as a “COVID Cure” could be causing deadly Black Fungus disease (Mucormycosis) in India. I can’t prove it but it’s highly likely. Weigh your risks."
BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh Surendra Singh claimed that drinking cow urine has protected him from Covid-19. His prescription was to "mix 50 ml cow urine with 100 ml water", which he claimed, also works as "superpower" medicine even in patients with heart disease. He said he has remained healthy using this even as he mingles with people most of the time.
Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Usha Thakur was roasted on social media for her appeal to people to perform "yagya'' and offer "aahuti" to purify the environment because performing this sacred ritual to eliminate pandemics has been a tradition for ages. This was not the first time that she made such a remark and courted controversy. In March this year, she had said, "The pandemic has sent out a message that we have to return to the Vedic lifestyle". She suggested performing 'havan' during sunrise and sunset with cow dung cake mixed with ghee made cow milk and rice to get rid of the pandemic.