Don't fall for rumors claiming alcohol protects against coronavirus: Expert
Head of Punjab's expert committee on COVID-19 Dr. KK Talwar on Wednesday urged people not to fall for rumors doing rounds on social media that alcohol can offer protection against coronavirus, which has infected nearly 4,00,000 people in the state. He said that drinking too much alcohol can weaken people's immunity and increase their chances of getting infected. Here are more details.
Such mistaken beliefs can create serious issues: Dr. Talwar
Dr. Talwar said that he read on social media that the consumption of alcohol can offer protection against the virus. "Such sort of mistaken beliefs can create serious issues. If people consume large quantities of alcohol, then they can have more chances of getting infected," he said. He said that it is wrong to suggest that the consumption of liquor can kill the coronavirus.
Alcohol should be avoided two days before and after jab
Dr. Talwar, who is also a former director at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), said that based on scientific observation, it is recommended that people should avoid consuming liquor two days before and after taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
Need to prioritize monitoring of home isolation cases
Dr. Talwar also expressed concern over the higher fatality rate in Punjab's rural areas. "People in rural areas resort to self-medication or buying medicines from chemists for fever or any other problem instead of getting themselves tested in time," he said. Dr. Talwar also stressed the need to prioritize monitoring of home isolation cases for quick identification of serious patients in rural areas.
Rural areas of Punjab have reported 58% of COVID-19 deaths
According to Punjab Health Department data, the rural areas have a case fatality rate of 2.7% as against less than one percent in urban areas. Rural areas have reported 58% of the COVID-19 deaths and 27% of total cases in Punjab this year.
Punjab reported 7,601 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday
Dr. Talwar urged people to adhere to COVID-19 curbs imposed by the state government and follow COVID-19 appropriate behavior to break the chain of transmission. On Tuesday, Punjab registered the record single-day rise of 173 COVID-19 deaths and 7,601 new cases that pushed the state's toll to 9,645 and infection tally to 3,99,556, according to a medical bulletin.
India reported 3,780 fresh COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday
India reported a record number of 3,780 fresh COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, the highest number of single-day fatalities since the pandemic began. The number of single-day infections also rose to 3.82 lakh even as the number of tests dropped to 15.4 lakh.
