8 Fake Coronavirus Remedies You Shouldn’t Spend Your Money On
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic refuses to
relent and the world continues to pray that a permanent solution
against the deadly virus is found as soon as possible. Unfortunately,
the pandemic has also sparked a great interest in dubious cures against
COVID-19. Nefarious parties all over the world are playing on the hopes
and fears of people and introducing “miracle cures” that can help fight
the disease. From foods to medicines, all sorts of items were promoted
to supposedly provide protection from the novel coronavirus, and
countless people have already been duped.
Unfortunately, these claims are not
grounded in science and, as of now, there are no magical ways to boost
our immune system or to cure yourself of COVID-19. To stay safe from the
virus, you must follow the guidelines issued by the health authorities
in your country. For now, we have listed a few of those “miracle cures”
for COVID-19 you should never spend your money on.
1. Elderberry syrup
“Miracle” 
In the last few months, a few natural health organizations have claimed
that extracts of elderberry syrup may help prevent a coronavirus
infection in the early stages. The berries and flowers of elderberry are
chock full of antioxidants and vitamins that may boost your immune
system and may also help fight colds. However, it is yet to be proven
that the elderberry syrup will help keep the coronavirus at bay.
Furthermore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that
manufacturers shouldn’t claim that elderberry products help deal with
this virus.
So, while you can certainly enjoy a glass of elderberry syrup for its
various health benefits, don’t drink it in the hopes that it will combat
the coronavirus.
2. Sodium chlorite
“Miracle”
In August of this year, the FDA received several reports of sodium
chlorite products being sold by many online shops as a "Miracle" Water
Purification Solution or “Master” Mineral Solution for curing the
coronavirus. When the sales of these products surged online, the FDA
issued a consumer warning. Although sodium chlorite is an active
ingredient in many disinfectants, it can be hazardous to health. These
so-called “treatments” have already made many people sick and have
caused side-effects like nausea and vomiting.
While we are all desperately looking for a genuine treatment for the
deadly virus, it is important NOT to fall prey to such dubious and
potentially harmful products.
3. Chloroquine
“Miracle”
Chloroquine is a low-cost drug that has been used for decades to treat
malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and various other diseases. During
the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors thought that
chloroquine may help reduce the sickness in people with mild-to-moderate
COVID-19. There was also hope that the drug might shorten the time when
infected people are contagious. However, it was later found that
chloroquine was causing heart problems in patients who were taking too
much of it and was even suppressing the immune system of some. In fact,
many people in Nigeria died after overdosing on the medication.
Moreover, there was a lack of clarity everywhere on the kind of
chloroquine that can be taken safely. This led to a man’s death in
Arizona when he ingested a version of the drug that’s used to clean
aquariums.
In September of this year, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
report declared that “current data indicate that the potential benefits
of [hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine] do not outweigh their risks.”
Experts have now cautioned against using chloroquine for COVID-19
outside of a hospital setting or a clinical trial due to the risk of
developing heart problems.
Also, remember that simply stocking up on chloroquine tablets as a
potential COVID treatment will eventually lead to a shortage in supply
and will deprive those people who genuinely require the drug.
4. Tea
“Miracle”
Drinking tea is considered good for health for a variety of reasons.
However, it will certainly not help you combat the coronavirus. Earlier
this year, rumors began floating around on social media that drinking
tea can help cure the coronavirus. Apparently, some people began
claiming that Li Wenliang, the Chinese doctor who first detected the
deadly coronavirus, had propagated tea as one of the proposed treatments
for the disease. However, there’s no basis for this rumor.
While drinking tea might help you feel better and is certainly not a
harmful product, you shouldn’t rely on it to fight off the coronavirus.
5. Zinc supplements
Another popular rumor is that taking zinc
supplements can help treat COVID-19 or even prevent the disease. Zinc
does help support the functioning of the human immune system and the
mineral has shown good results against other coronaviruses. As this
information spread, people began stocking up on zinc supplements by the
hordes. Unfortunately, there’s no clinical evidence yet that zinc works
on the novel coronavirus, which is quite different from the respiratory
viruses we have previously faced. Moreover, taking too much zinc can
lead to health problems like anemia and could even negatively affect
your immune system.
6. Vitamin C products
“Miracle”
Like
Time and again it has been proven that taking high doses of vitamin C or
of any kind of vitamin is not effective at preventing respiratory
infections. Vitamin C is known to play a role in supporting the normal
functioning of the immune system. But, for some reason, there have been
countless claims in recent months that this nutrient can also fight
SARS-CoV-2. This misinformation stems from studies examining the link
between vitamin C and the common cold. This has now led to an upsurge in
the demand for vitamin C-enriched products like oranges and chewable
tablets.
At the moment, there’s no verifiable evidence to support the claim that
vitamin C can prevent and treat the coronavirus or even the common cold.
According to Peter McCaffery, a professor of biochemistry at the
University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom, “Taking large doses of
vitamin C tablets would be very unlikely to protect you from
COVID-19—unless you were actually vitamin C deficient, which with a
normal diet is quite rare.”
7. Distilled white vinegar
“Miracle”
A few social media posts have claimed that distilled white vinegar can
kill the coronavirus when you gargle with it or even use it to disinfect
your home. Vinegar is a common household product that has a variety of
uses. However, it won’t come of any help to you to kill this deadly
virus as there’s no evidence to suggest that it has any antiviral
benefits. In fact, there’s no product that you can gargle that can help
eliminate the coronavirus. That being said, warm water can certainly
help soothe your throat.
8. Red Cross “home tests”
“Miracle”
Red Cross had to issue warnings when scammers impersonating Red Cross
workers were found selling coronavirus “home test” kits. These scammers
are going to people’s doors offering to do a test for the virus.
However, they then charge people for a “test” involving Q-tips and a
sample of nasal fluid. There have even been reports of these people just
robbing a person’s home once they open the door. Thus, if you find any
person offering coronavirus tests, you shouldn’t let them in and
immediately call the authorities.