Doctors in India are warning people against using cow dung to ward off Covid-19. They note that there is lack of scientific evidence to support its effectiveness and highlight the risks involved in the practice, such as spreading diseases.
India is heavily hit by the pandemic, with 23.3 million confirmed cases reported so far and 254,000 deaths. Health experts however estimate that the actual numbers may be up to 10 times higher. Hospitals across the country are struggling to accommodate all patients, with a significant lack of available hospital beds, oxygen and medicines, leading to numerous deaths daily.
Believers in the state of Gujarat in western India have been visiting cow shelters every week, covering their bodies in cow dung and urine, in the belief that it will help boost their immunity against, or cure them from, Covid-19.
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The cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism and symbolises life and the earth. Hindus have been using cow dung for centuries to clean their homes and to practice prayer rituals in the belief that it has antiseptic and therapeutic properties.
Gautam Manilal Borisa, an associate manager at a pharmaceuticals firm, also believes that the practice helped him recover from the virus last year. He said:
"We see ... even doctors come here. Their belief is that this therapy improves their immunity and they can go and tend to patients with no fear."
Borisa has since been a regular visitor at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam, a shelter located near the Indian headquarters of Zydus Cadila (CADI.NS), and is run by Hindu monks.
As people wait for the mixture of dung and urine to dry on their bodies, they hug the cows at the shelter and practice yoga to improve their energy levels. The participants are then washed with milk or buttermilk.
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Health professionals across the world have been warning against practicing alternative treatments for Covid-19, as these can further complicate health problems and could also result in a 'false sense of security'.
Dr. JA Jayalal, national President at the Indian Medical Association, noted:
"There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow dung or urine work to boost immunity against COVID-19, it is based entirely on belief. There are also health risks involved in smearing or consuming these products - other diseases can spread from the animal to humans."
There is also worry that such practices could lead to the spread of the virus from people gathering in groups. Some shelters are limiting the participants' numbers such as one located in Ahmedabad.
Doctors in India are warning against covering one's body in cow dung and urine in the belief it will ward off COVID-19, saying there is no scientific evidence for its effectiveness and that it risks spreading other diseases. More photos: https://t.co/g2rTla2PUx 📷 Amit Dave pic.twitter.com/3WpULYndxA
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[h/t: Reuters]
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