Multiple Facebook posts claim that aspirin, lemon juice and honey have been combined to make a “home remedy” for COVID-19 in Italy.
Below is a screenshot of the misleading post:, The post states: "Italy finds home remedy for Covid\19 / 500gms aspirin dissolved with lemon juice boiled with honey, it is taken hot.”, According to WHO data published on\xa0April 29, 2020, Italy has been\xa0among the countries worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with at least 27,359\xa0deaths and\xa0201,505\xa0confirmed cases., A similar claim\xa0was\xa0also shared in lengthier Facebook posts here, here, here and here., , The claim is misleading., “WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicines, including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19,” a spokesperson for\xa0WHO Philippines told AFP in an email on April 29, 2020., “While some home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease.”, , This COVID-19 guidance released by Italy’s Ministry of Health makes no reference to the purported home remedy., The ministry’s general advice for those with suspected or confirmed infections reads: “The sick person must rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat nutritious food, and wear a surgical mask that needs to be changed every day. If he/she does not tolerate the mask, he/she must adopt a strict respiratory hygiene: cover his/her mouth and nose with a disposable paper tissue/handkerchief when he/she coughs or sneezes and throw it away immediately, or wash it after use, wash his/her hands with soap and water or with hydroalcoholic solution.”, , Copyright © AFP 2017-2020.  All rights reserved.  Users can access and consult this website and use the share features available for personal, private, and non-commercial purposes.  Any other use, in particular any reproduction, communication to the public or distribution of the content of this website, in whole or in part, for any other purpose and/or by any other means, without a specific licence agreement signed with AFP, is strictly prohibited.  The subject matter depicted or included via links within the Fact Checking content is provided to the extent necessary for correct understanding of the verification of the information concerned.  AFP has not obtained any rights from the authors or copyright owners of this third party content and shall incur no liability in this regard.  AFP and its logo are registered trademarks.
WHO warns against self-medicating for COVID-19 with aspirin, lemon juice and honey 'remedy' | AFP Fact Check