The COVID-19 outbreak has been termed a pandemic which has rapidly spread to over 114 countries in a matter of two months. With rising cases and a call to issue urgent quarantine, there is no possible cure or treatment in sight to tackle the viral spread. Vaccines, which are still in the development stage will take months (or even a year) before they are available to the public. While the symptoms of the novel coronavirus replicate a cold or the flu, many people are rushing to find helpful treatment through traditional medicines and alternate therapies.
Of late, several such treatment methodologies have been circulating on the internet. Unconventional treatment plans and remedies include garlic water, saline solutions, ginger-turmeric root have been widely circulated on social media platforms as the holy grail to deal with the outbreak. Some have also promoted homoeopathy as a potent treatment option. There was also some evidence which suggested a growing breed of old school Chinese and Japanese doctors testing the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), made out of liquorice root which helped provide relief from "some" of the symptoms associated with the infectious disease. Even if these therapies claim to work, the question remains, can you really depend on them?
Do they work?
COVID-19 is a new strain and a much more rigid virus to deal with. Given how fast the virus has spread, scientists are still trying to map out the spread and there is no one scientific backing or research which supports the usage of traditional or alternate remedies in the treatment of COVID-19.
WHO too rules out against the workings of the same. Asserting the fact that some home remedies and alternative therapies may help combat some of the minor symptoms associated with the infectious disease, there is no evidence as of yet that they can help PREVENT or CURE COVID-19 completely.
Doctors and medical professionals also advocate against the practice of self-medicating to treat the disease. They are also warning that just because traditional remedies come in handy (and offer respite) against cold and fever, it doesn't really extend to the novel coronavirus strain.
The best defence and protection plan against coronavirus? Boosting your immunity, adopting good hygiene practices and quarantine when required, to help the body's immune system contain and shut down the virus as and when it infects.
In cases of a large scale pandemic like the coronavirus outbreak, it is crucial that you do not give into panic and procced with utmost precaution. At such a sensitive time, the best defence and protection plan against coronavirus remains to boost your immunity, adopting good hygiene practices and quarantine when required, to help the body's immune system contain and shut down the virus as and when it infects.