Despite a crackdown on misinformation, unproven cures and remedies continue to find their way on social media

A message detailing research on a potential coronavirus treatment is being widely circulated on Whatsapp in India. It claims a home remedy can cure COVID completely. However, the claim is false.

A Whatsapp forward received by the First Check claims, “An Indian student at the University of Pondicherry, found a home remedy for Covid 19, which was approved by the WHO for the first time. He proved that one teaspoon of pepper powder, two teaspoons of honey, a little ginger juice taken for five consecutive days could eliminate the effect of corona up to 100%. The whole world is starting to take this treatment, finally a happy experience of 2021. Send to all your groups. Nothing to lose by trying this.”

Below is the screenshot of the message.

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On research, we found that honey and ginger juice can provide temporary relief to normal cough and cold but a combination of pepper powder, honey, and ginger juice is not a remedy for Coronavirus.

To get further clarification, we contacted Dr. Rohini Karandikar, Science educator and communicator. She clarified that there is no scientific evidence to prove the success of this home remedy. She added, “In case of normal cough and cold, taking ginger juice and honey can provide temporary relief, but it can’t eliminate COVID and is not a cure for COVID. Moreover, taking one teaspoon of pepper powder can be dangerous too. So, this message is fake.”

Also, claiming that WHO has approved is not correct as cycles of trials need to be conducted over a period of time for approvals.

Dr. Karandikar warned that the spread of such misinformation can be dangerous as people may try these at home expecting to get the condition of the patient better, while on the other hand, they delay the admission of the patient and it affects their health and their condition may get deteriorated.

It is always advisable to consult a doctor before taking any home remedies and self-medication should be always avoided.

Author

Bhargavi Saikia

Bhargavi works as a Data Analyst at HealthLEADS, specialising in data cleaning, analysis and visualisation. With a keen eye for patterns and a penchant for clarity, Bhargavi brings data to life, bridging the gap between raw data and storytelling.
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