Indonesia’s health minister, AKA the male who said prayer was keeping the coronavirus away from Indonesia when the country had no official cases, is now defending a questionable pseudoscientific “remedy” developed by the federal government.
Let’s get the hang of the concern: late last week, the Farming Ministry stated it plans to release an “antivirus pendant” that can allegedly prevent COVID-19 transmission. The necklace, which consists of the plant eucalyptus sealed inside a little, flat plastic packaging, is said to be able to kill 80 percent of SARS-CoV-2 if used for 30 minutes.
Whether the eucalyptus forms some sort of invisible coronavirus shield around one’s head or if it shoots undetectable antivirus missiles at approaching coronaviruses is open to interpretation.
The pendant, which is slated for mass production next month, deservedly drew enormous criticism and ridicule from specialists and the wider public. Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto protected the product yesterday.
” Concerning the necklace, I haven’t completely studied it,” Terawan stated..
If he were undoubtedly a guy of science, as should be a non-negotiable requisite for his post, he ought to’ve stopped there. He didn’t.
” However what is the most essential is if believing in [the necklace] raises one’s psychological mindset, then one’s body immune system is raised too,” he said, adding that individuals must still observe established health procedures to minimize the danger of contracting COVID-19, such as using face masks and regular hand cleaning.
” If there are a great deal of concerns, then one’s body immune system is compromised, so it is necessary to have a healthy body immune system in dealing with COVID-19″.
Tri Yunus Miko Wahyono, head of the epidemiology department at Universitas Indonesia (UI), used an alternate take on the locket.
” If people just wear [the necklace], but they disregard face masks, hand wash, physical distancing, keeping health due to the fact that they believe that the necklace can secure from COVID-19, then that threatens,” he said.
In the middle of the prevalent criticism, the Farming Ministry backtracked on their grand claims regarding the pendant, saying that they never clearly stated it was an antivirus (although it’s clearly composed as such on the pendant) which it is actually just an aromatherapeutic locket.
It stays to be seen if the pendant will go ahead for mass production next month.
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