BHOPAL: Doctors have warned against ëcow dung therapyí and use of urine for protection against Covid-19, saying there is no scientific evidence for its effectiveness and it may cause other infections.
People are struggling to get hospital beds, oxygen, medicines and many are dying due to lack of treatment. In such situation, many are going to cow shelters once a week to cover their bodies with cow dung and urine in the hope that it would boost their immunity and help them recover from the coronavirus.
In Hinduism, the cow is a sacred symbol and for centuries Hindus have used cow dung to clean their homes and for rituals, believing it has therapeutic and antiseptic properties.
Moreover, some law makers have advocated this practice. Former minister Imrati Devi said, ìI am immune to infection because of I am born in cow dung (gobar) and mitti (mud). Similarly, culture minister Usha Thakur said, ìHavan with cow dung cake keeps the house sanitised for 12 hours.î
No proven evidence
Ex-Medical Superintendent of Hamidia Hospital Dr ID Chaurasia said, ìTrend of using cow dung and urine is spreading fast in public. But it has not any proven evidence. Secondly, the use may attract many other infections. So people should have patients in treatment which they are getting as per ICMR guideline and nothing else."
It is non-sense practice
TB Hospital medical superintendent Dr AK Shrivastava said, "It is non-sense practice as it is not scientifically established. People should not continue this practice otherwise, they will attract more infections from cow dung bath and it will be more dangerous with Covid infections."
Dangerous practice
Sidhdhanta Hospitalís Dr Subhodh Varshney said, "Benefits of cow dung bath has no proof. So it may be dangerous for people who are practicing to boost immunity. In fact, people are now frustrated due to Covid so they start such practice, especially at villages."
