Use self-help remedies with good sense and restraint

This picture has been used for representational purpose

With COVID fears have come a flood of home remedies and preventive measures from do-gooders, self-styled experts, grandma's wisdom peddlers and the WhatsApp wizardry industry ever ready with an opinion, information and advice.

The intent behind most of these purported treatments is good, these are given by people who vouch that they are age-old measures helping for coughs, colds and fevers. A top doctor of a jumbo COVID hospital in the Western suburbs though has stated that all these antidotes, self-help remedies need to be practised with good sense and some restraint.

He has claimed that he has seen people whose larynx was affected with excessive hot water gargling. Then, there was steam inhalation. While moderate steam inhalation is beneficial, the professional warned against intense and prolonged steam inhalation. There have been ‘n' number of other solutions to COVID touted and while some may be beneficial in certain ways, let us also become much more circumspect in how we practise these.

We must also strike a balance. In our zeal to heal, which is understandable and our attempt to stave off the infection, one cannot go overboard. Always use sound logic, and moderation even when practising these. Look for medical advice, and scientific rationale. If this pandemic has taught us one thing, it is to look at the scientific explanation or theory above all and put them right up there.

Having said that, the expert did not outrightly dismiss some of these methods but simply said that one must practise them with caution. One needs to imbibe that since it came from a man, who has practical knowledge to back his advice having seen over 20,000 patients since the outbreak.