Fact Check: Post claiming hot steam and tea cure coronavirus is fake

New Delhi (Vishvas News): A viral post on social media claims that Chinese are not taking any medicine or vaccine of coronavirus and are treating themselves at their homes with heat. They take hot steam, do hot gargles, and have hot tea four times a day each. This kills the virus in 4 days and they are free of coronavirus on 5th day. Vishvas News investigated and found that the viral post is fake.

Claim

A social media post reads: “Chinese are not taking any medicine or any vaccine for Corona Virus. Every house has a Corona virus case. They have stopped going to hospital for cure. They instead kill the virus with heat. Very hot steam inhalation from kettle 4 times a day. Hot gargles 4 times a day. Hot tea 4 times a day. Virus dies in 4 days. 5th day they are Corona Negative.” The viral post can be checked here.

Investigation

As per WHO, while some western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of mild COVID-19, there are no medicines that have been shown to prevent or cure the disease. WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19. However, there are several ongoing clinical trials of both western and traditional medicines.

According to WHO, the normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather or the steam you breathe. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water. You can catch COVID-19, no matter how sunny or hot the weather is or no many how high or low the temperature is. 

So, this is a myth that increasing your body temperature to kill the coronavirus. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C.

Another claim suggests that hot tea cures coronavirus. As per Ministry of AYUSH advisory, drinking herbal tea or decoction made from Tulsi (Basil), Dalchini (Cinnamon), Kalimirch (Black pepper), Shunthi (Dry Ginger) and Munakka (Raisin) – once or twice a day is one of the immunity-boosting measures for self-care during COVID 19 crisis. But, the ministry advises that this does not claim to be the treatment for COVID 19.

As per a BBC report, the post regarding tea drinking cures coronavirus is fabricated. The post falsely claims that in China, Covid-19 patients were given tea three times a day. The post seems to originate from the statement of Dr Li Wenliang who was researching the effect of tea and coronavirus. But, he was an eye specialist, rather than an expert on viruses. And hospitals in China were not treating Covid-19 by giving patients tea.

Another claim suggests that gargling with hot water cures coronavirus. Vishvas News has earlier debunked a similar post that suggested that this claim is fake. The fact check can be read here.

The post suggests that the self-treating coronavirus by consuming hot water of gargling needs to be done for 4 days. Vishvas News has also debunked this claim in its fact checks earlier. Read here.

Vishvas News spoke to Dr. Sajeev Kumar, who is a General Physician based out of Kerala and is treating coronavirus patients. He said: Although, these claims mentioned in the viral post can provide comfort in symptoms of mild cough and fever, these do not cure coronavirus. If someone gets covid-related symptoms, they should contact their doctor instead of self-treating them.

The post is shared on Facebook by a user named Gurdeep Singh Bedi. We scanned the social profile of the user and found that the user is based out of Ludhiana, Punjab.

Conclusion

The post claiming hot steam and tea cure coronavirus is fake. The normal human body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C, regardless of the external temperature or weather or the steam you breathe.

Disclaimer: The #CoronavirusFacts database records fact-checks published since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic and its consequences are constantly evolving and data that was accurate weeks or even days ago might have changed. Remember to check the date when the fact-check you are reading was published before sharing it.