Social media got Kenyans consuming all manner of ‘Covid-19 concoctions’

Though Covid-19 struck fear in everyone, Kenyans with underlying health conditions were as vulnerable as the aged. Even working from home to avert contracting the coronavirus did not help matters for Dunstan Oketch, a communication expert with a local NGO. He had just undergone a minor surgery before Covid came calling last March and was under steroids to control inflammation.

Though working from home was a blessing in disguise, fear of contracting the virus overpowered him. Matters were made worse from info on social media that use of steroids compromises the immune system making one susceptible to contracting the virus.

The Ministry of Health officials had issued endless guidelines on diet and exercise making Oketch to believe diet would be one other savior considering “I have been under medication for a very long time to reduce my inflammation and I didn’t want to contract any other disease especially that I was weak already,” recalls Oketch.

Through one of his twitter interactive sessions, Acting Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth advised Kenyans to boost their immunity by making regular use of ginger and lemon since a virus is a form of flu best fought by boosting one’s immunity.

Oketch launched on taking the concoction of ginger, lemon and garlic daily and without any prescription, he took as much as his body could take.

“I religiously took the concoction as if my life depended on it. Even at night, I had scheduled a time that I could wake up to take the concoction. I knew I was on medication and immediately I had to turn around my immunity,” he says admitting that the concoction helped since “for over one year I haven’t had any flu and my frequency at the hospital has also reduced.”

The heavy intake of the concoction had its downsides as Oketch lost weight which he has been struggling to regain now that he is still under heavy medication for his condition.

“I lost eight kilograms as I was also exercising as it was a matter of life and death but which later turned to be an overdose” narrates Oketch who decided to block any news about Covid-19 on social media and instead relied on his doctor’s advises only.

Medical information about Covid-19 was even more confusing since Oketch’s surgery turned out erroneous as “I was not supposed to have it after seeking a second opinion” and Oketch now prefers getting info about Covid-19 through televisions and newspapers more so after Dr Amoth clarified through his Twitter handles that the ginger and lemon concoction were not a cure and one should only be taken after consulting medical experts if one had underlying conditions.