Baba Ramdev has a 'self-testing' method; says if you can hold your breath for a minute, you don't have COVID-19

In this day and age, even the most rational amongst us has entertained the question 'what if I have the novel coronavirus'. Yoga guru and the founder of Patanjali Ayurved, Baba Ramdev has a test that will help assuage your fears.

Speaking at an e-Agenda Aaj Tak session Ramdev claimed that anyone who was able to hold their breath for an entire minute was not suffering from the novel coronavirus.

An India Today article quoted him as saying that there was a special pranayam that could be used as a 'self-testing' technique for the virus. This pranayam, called Ujjai involved contracting your throat before pumping air in noisily, holding it for some time and then gradually releasing it.

According to him, those who have unrelated health issues such as chronic hypertension, heart problems or diabetes as well as the elderly could test themselves by holding their breath for 30 seconds. The young, he said, could hold their breath for a minute. For those who are ablt to pull this feat off, "it means you do not have Covid-19, either symptomatic or asymptomatic" Ramdev said.

The yoga guru also had a way using which you can kill the novel coronavirus. India Today quoted him as saying that inhaling mustard oil through your nose alongside this would ensure that any coronavirus lingering in your respiratory tract would be killed. The logic given was that the virus in your respiratory channel would be taken to your stomach, upon which the acids in your digestive system would destroy it.

It might be a difficult feat for many to achieve. Even with age and health on their side, not everyone would be able to hold their breath for a minute. Additionally, if someone is yet to show any symptoms of the virus or is an asymptomatic carrier, their respiratory system might not be compromised. They are however capable of infecting others.

Now, far be it from us to stop anyone from trying out Baba Ramdev's suggestions. However, we are compelled to emphasise that this should not be used as a substitute for actual coronavirus testing. In that sense, we would urge you to follow all due procedures and consult medical officials.

This is not the first time he or Patanjali had suggested a coronavirus remedy in recent times. According to a Reuters article from last month, a promotional video featuring the yoga guru had said that they had "done scientific research and found Ashwagandha ... doesn’t allow blending of corona protein with human protein.".

Ramdev however did not provide any evidence for the research, adding that it had been sent to an unspecified international journal.