Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo shared some ways on how to fight COVID-19, which included consuming bananas and frequently gargling water with salt.
The Kapuso star and beauty queen WinWyn Marquez could only react to this with a facepalm emoticon on Twitter.
— Teresita Ssen Marquez (@wynmarquez) March 16, 2020
Panelo said: “Marami kasi ako nabasa how to destroy or to kill the virus, even me without knowing it, ako kasi mahilig ako sa saging tapos may nakita ako sa internet, yung saging daw magandang panlaban daw, e ako araw-araw kain ako ng kain ng saging. Number 2, naging ugali ko na mag-gargle ng salt water, pag nakakaramdam lang ako ng konting sipon, nag ga-gargle ako. Sabi rin ni Dr. Duque pwede rin daw ‘yon, okay daw ‘yon kasi ang unang pinupuntahan ng virus, throat natin, ang delikado pag ‘yun ay pumasok sa lungs. Gawin na natin ‘to lahat, but constantly we should wash our hands.”
On the contrary, the World Health Organization stated that there are still no specific ways or medical treatments to prevent or treat the new coronavirus.
“To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus.”
Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo also said that until now there are no evidence on how to kill the virus and Panelo’s advice has been a traditional home remedy that was passed on generation by generations.
Domingo stated: “I don’t think there is any evidence that it will kill a virus. I think this is a home remedy that has been followed for many, many generations and I don’t think there’s going to be any harm in doing it.”
As of March 16, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte has put Luzon under an “enhanced community quarantine” and clarified it was not martial law but a way to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Duterte said: “I am placing the entire mainland of Luzon under quarantine until April 12, 2020 coinciding with the entire end of the Holy Week. Let me make myself clear, this is not martial law.”
The “enhanced community quarantine” means a total lockdown whereas Filipinos should follow home confinement strictly, and even the transportation lines are suspended.
