MANILA, Philippines – Amid the panic-buying and hoarding of food and various supplies in fear of COVID-19, so many shops have run out of alcohol and hand sanitizers, among others. With no alcohol to buy, people were suddenly flocking to their local public markets and grocery stores to buy bananas after a video claims that these were discovered to be the cure for the coronavirus.
People were getting desperate as they fear that someone in their family might get the virus. Watching a video on Facebook claiming researchers discovered that bananas are cure to COVID-19 gave many people new hope.
Even Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo claimed that eating bananas will help kill the coronavirus, citing unnamed articles he “read on the internet” while giving his explanation during the press briefing on March 16 at the Malacañang Palace.
Panelo also cited DOH Sec. Francisco Tiongson Duque III as his source of the advice on gargling salt water for protection.
Doctors: That’s fake news!
A number of doctors and medical practitioners were quick to point out that this is fake news! While bananas might help boost a person’s immune system, along with other fruits and vegetables, it is not a cure against COVID-19.
Eating too much bananas could actually do more harm than go for those patients with certain underlying medical condition, such as those with hemorrhoids and kidney problems.
Here’s the medical advice from Doc Willie Ong:
HINDI SOLUSYON ang SAGING sa COVID:
Fake News at Fake Video ang nakita nyo! Karamihan ng gulay at prutas ay masustansya.
Health Advisory ni Doc Willie Ong
Ang SAGING ay masustansyang prutas. PERO hindi pang-gamot ang saging sa COVID. MALI po! Fake news ang kumalat na post tungkol sa Saging at Covid.
Kung GUSTO kumain ng SAGING, hanggang 2 piraso lang bawat araw.
Ingat sa may ALMORANAS at KIDNEY problem. Baka ma-CONSTIPATED kayo. Sa may KIDNEY problem at mataas creatinine, Bawal din ang sobrang SAGING. God bless.
- Doc Willie Ong
Note 1: Kung gusto palakasin ang katawan, kumain ng vitamin C rich foods at sari-saring gulay:
Piliin ang bayabas, papaya, calamansi, suha, dalandan, orange, lemon, patatas at iba pa. HINDI ito gamot. Pero pampalakas lang ng katawan.
At ITIGIL muna ALAK at YOSI. Para hindi bumagsak ang iyong katawan. Yan ang pinakamahalaga.
Note 2: Basta may outbreak, maraming magpasamantala para KUMITA ng pera. Wag magpauto. Tamang pag-iingat lang.
Fighting coronavirus
In the fight against coronavirus, prevention is still much better than cure! Make sure to regularly wash your hands with soap and water, especially after possible exposure to germs while going out of your home or after talking to somebody.
It is also a good idea to use alcohol, particularly if there’s no soap and water easily within reach. But because alcohol is most likely out of stock in your locality, you can also try other options.
“Lambanog is an alternative disinfectant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” said Quezon health officer Dr. Grace Santiago.
As alcohol supplies were depleted, lambanog sales spiked.
“With its 80 to 85-percent alcohol content, the buyers were using it as an effective disinfectant. Besides, a bottle of lambanog is much cheaper compared to the 70-percent solution rubbing alcohol,” said “Larry” who works as helper at a wine store in the city market.
For only Php20, a 320-ml bottle of lambanog sold at their store is certainly much cheaper than 70% alcohol regularly sold at around Php75-85 per 500-ml bottle. However, the alcohol shortage led many sellers to offer these bottles for around Php200-300 per bottle – and one even tried to sell it for Php750!
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
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| Are bananas really the cure against coronavirus? |
People were getting desperate as they fear that someone in their family might get the virus. Watching a video on Facebook claiming researchers discovered that bananas are cure to COVID-19 gave many people new hope.
Even Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo claimed that eating bananas will help kill the coronavirus, citing unnamed articles he “read on the internet” while giving his explanation during the press briefing on March 16 at the Malacañang Palace.
Panelo also cited DOH Sec. Francisco Tiongson Duque III as his source of the advice on gargling salt water for protection.
Doctors: That’s fake news!
A number of doctors and medical practitioners were quick to point out that this is fake news! While bananas might help boost a person’s immune system, along with other fruits and vegetables, it is not a cure against COVID-19.
Eating too much bananas could actually do more harm than go for those patients with certain underlying medical condition, such as those with hemorrhoids and kidney problems.
Here’s the medical advice from Doc Willie Ong:
HINDI SOLUSYON ang SAGING sa COVID:
Fake News at Fake Video ang nakita nyo! Karamihan ng gulay at prutas ay masustansya.
Health Advisory ni Doc Willie Ong
Ang SAGING ay masustansyang prutas. PERO hindi pang-gamot ang saging sa COVID. MALI po! Fake news ang kumalat na post tungkol sa Saging at Covid.
Kung GUSTO kumain ng SAGING, hanggang 2 piraso lang bawat araw.
Ingat sa may ALMORANAS at KIDNEY problem. Baka ma-CONSTIPATED kayo. Sa may KIDNEY problem at mataas creatinine, Bawal din ang sobrang SAGING. God bless.
- Doc Willie Ong
Note 1: Kung gusto palakasin ang katawan, kumain ng vitamin C rich foods at sari-saring gulay:
Piliin ang bayabas, papaya, calamansi, suha, dalandan, orange, lemon, patatas at iba pa. HINDI ito gamot. Pero pampalakas lang ng katawan.
At ITIGIL muna ALAK at YOSI. Para hindi bumagsak ang iyong katawan. Yan ang pinakamahalaga.
Note 2: Basta may outbreak, maraming magpasamantala para KUMITA ng pera. Wag magpauto. Tamang pag-iingat lang.
Fighting coronavirus
In the fight against coronavirus, prevention is still much better than cure! Make sure to regularly wash your hands with soap and water, especially after possible exposure to germs while going out of your home or after talking to somebody.
It is also a good idea to use alcohol, particularly if there’s no soap and water easily within reach. But because alcohol is most likely out of stock in your locality, you can also try other options.
“Lambanog is an alternative disinfectant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” said Quezon health officer Dr. Grace Santiago.
As alcohol supplies were depleted, lambanog sales spiked.
“With its 80 to 85-percent alcohol content, the buyers were using it as an effective disinfectant. Besides, a bottle of lambanog is much cheaper compared to the 70-percent solution rubbing alcohol,” said “Larry” who works as helper at a wine store in the city market.
For only Php20, a 320-ml bottle of lambanog sold at their store is certainly much cheaper than 70% alcohol regularly sold at around Php75-85 per 500-ml bottle. However, the alcohol shortage led many sellers to offer these bottles for around Php200-300 per bottle – and one even tried to sell it for Php750!
— Joy Adalia, The Summit Express
