Indian doctors are warning people who believe that smearing cow feces on their bodies would prevent the spread of COVID-19 against such practice, stating that no scientific evidence to support such belief exists.
In the western Indian state of Gujarat, some Hindu believers have been visiting cow shelters weekly in order to smear cow feces and urine on their bodies and faces, believing that the practice would help them recover from the disease, or boost their immunity to it, according to Reuters.
The participants hug and pay their respect to the animal as they wait for the mixture to dry, which they later wash away with milk or buttermilk, and do yoga in order to increase their overall energy levels, the outlet added.
Doctors in India are warning against the practice of using cow dung in the belief it will ward off COVID-19, saying there is no scientific evidence for its effectiveness and that it risks spreading other diseases https://t.co/hdS1ANbFKT pic.twitter.com/1Y4twnifSn
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 11, 2021
“We see … even doctors come here. Their belief is that this therapy improves their immunity and they can go and tend to patients with no fear,” Gautam Manilal Borisa, a pharmaceutical company associate, stated, saying that the practice helped him recover from the illness, Reuters reported.
Health care professionals, as well as scientists, have urged the public to stop practicing “alternative treatments for COVID-19,” as they could further complicate health issues, according to Reuters.
Doctors have stated that the practice can not only help the spread of COVID-19, as the people are gathered in groups, but also that it can help spread other infectious diseases from animals to humans, all the while reminding that there is no scientific evidence to support the practice, the outlet concluded.
Hinduists believe that cows are sacred animals representative of divine and natural grace, and use cow products, including milk, urine, and feces in various rituals, including healing, according to Britannica. (RELATED: India Can’t Cremate The Bodies Of COVID-19 Victims Fast Enough)
Biden restricted travel from India in light of a recent coronavirus spike in the country.