Covid home remedies and therapies

Phatsimo Israel
Kopano Nkoane

With the vaccine rollout proving rather slow, causing heightened anxiety as the country continues to record more Covid-19 deaths, a plethora of home remedies and suggested therapies/treatments are currently floating on social media, giving rise to discussions around credible treatments – registered or not – that have proven effective for treating early signs and symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

As more people grow weary of possible hospitalisation, it’s fair to say the main referral hospital, Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, has fast gained a reputation for being a death trap, hence many Batswana are beginning to look elsewhere for available interventions in order to not only mitigate but stay out of hospital by any means necessary; after all self-preservation is the first law of nature.

Voice Woman took to the streets of Gabz to find out what trusted remedies Batswana are using and whether they have worked or not.

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Kopano Nkoane, 25, Hukuntsi

This pandemic is quite frightening. Just about everyone has lost a loved one to the virus.

I have’nt tested positive for the virus but I will resort to home remedies, the usual lemon/ginger/garlic/tumeric combination to try and boost my immunity by maintaining good diet and eating more citrus fruit.

I have heard of steaming and the use of herbal oils though I have yet to try them.

Gilbert Brown, 61, Senyawe

I am not interested in getting vaccinated. Apparently people die after vaccinating, I don’t want to die!

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I drink monepenepe, lemon, mekgwapha because even the common flu easily gets treated with those.

Gilbert Brown

I also steam over hot stones daily so as to open up pores and sweat the virus out.

This is an age-old treatment for viruses, isn’t this particular virus is similar to influenza virus?

Kegomoditswe Mosanana, 52, Kanye

In my home we rely heavily on trusted flu remedies. We daily take cinnamon, lemon, ginger, garlic and onion, green pepper in warm water.

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Kegomoditswe Mosanana

I just ensure good hygiene as I have young children.

We sanitise constantly and clean surfaces using disinfectants like Jik, cleaning door floors, handles, utensils and armrests.

Benjamin Lefora, 44, Molepolole

Benjamin Lefora

I don’t know much about remedies; all I do is follow the advice of health officials or the Task Team.

It has been said that there’s no cure for Covid, so I believe the only solution is to follow COVID-19 safety protocols.

Anonymous, Gaborone

There’s controversy around the use of Ivermectin triple therapy in the country; our government hasn’t approved it but as we speak scientists in the U.K. and other developed countries are trialing the drug and others.

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I’ve also come across news of it being considered in Australia. Look, I’m not saying this is a cure but it tackles the virus in the early stages and it has so far proven effective hence in South America, even in neighbouring South Africa, many have taken it to fight the virus.

Fortunately, Ivermectin is readily available globally and has also proven to be relatively safe.

Anonymous 2, Gaborone

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I take aspirin, ZiverdoKit, Zincol tablets and prednisone. “Prednisone is a glucocorticoid medication mostly used to suppress the immune system and decrease inflammation in conditions such as asthma, COPD, and rheumatologic diseases. It is also used to treat high blood calcium due to cancer and adrenal insufficiency along with other steroids.”

This combination has apparently helped a lot of people with mild to severe symptoms, especially those with underlying conditions like asthma, and though I cannot disclose my supplier for obvious reasons, I can attest to the effectiveness of this combo.

Tebogo Tsele, 37, Mochudi

As an herbalist, I have about 4 or 5 traditional herbs that can help fight the virus; lengana, moritelatshwene, mosukujane, mosukudu. Lengana is a herb that can be taken as a tea, or infused with other herbs like lekwati, to steam over.

Because Covid-19 is a global pandemic, it fell within the ambit of the responsibility of the World Health Organisation so it is managed through scientifically proven protocols and advice of the body.

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