Ahmedabad: Doctors and scientists have warned against the use of cow dung to ward off COVID-19 and claimed it risks spreading other diseases.
The warning comes at a time when some believers were spotted going to cow shelters to cover their bodies in cow dung and urine. Some also drink cow urine in the hope it will boost their immunity, or help them recover from, the coronavirus.
“There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow dung or urine work to boost immunity against COVID-19, it is based entirely on belief,” said Dr JA Jayalal, national president at the Indian Medical Association.
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In Hinduism, the cow is a sacred symbol of life and the earth, and for centuries Hindus have used cow dung to clean their homes and for prayer rituals, believing it has therapeutic and antiseptic properties.
There is also health risks involved in smearing or consuming these products causing diseases that spreads from the animal to humans.
Doctors and scientists have repeatedly warned against practising alternative treatments for COVID-19, saying they can lead to a false sense of security and complicate health problems.
Ms Kalinga