Baba Ramdev claims that COVID-19 can be self diagnosed by controlling breathing and that mustard oil kills the virus.
"Ramdev made these claims in a 24-minute video conversation called E-agenda with Aaj Tak on April 25, 2020. A video of the interview can be seen below. At the five-minute mark, Ramdev suggests a self-test for COVID-19.", He states that if a person with or without any ailments is able to hold their breath for 30 seconds or a minute without experiencing breathlessness, they are self diagnosing that they are not affected by COVID-19. He even demonstrated the same., At the six-minute mark he recommended putting drops of mustard oil into the nose and claimed it would push the coronavirus into the stomach through the respiratory system where it would be destroyed by juices in the stomach., , , "Ramdevs claims were reported by many news organisations such as Free Press Journal and India Today.", , , Ramdev made both the claims in a interview with Aaj Tak on April 25. BOOM found that both the claims are not scientifically backed., Claim 1: Holding breath is a test for presence of coronavirus, "BOOM spoke to Dr. Jeenam Shah, a pulmonologist at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai to understand if a good control of ones breath is an indicator for absence of coronavirus.", "There is absolutely no study supporting this theory. The only way to detect coronavirus is through the RT-PCR test", said Dr. Shah., "The same claim was debunked by AFP  earlier when several posts on social media advocated a self-test for COVID-19.  Scientists that spoke to AFP remarked that the breathing technique as a method of detecting fibrosis was incorrect as fibrosis is a chronic exposure developed across years and is not as quickly as in the case of COVID-19. ( Also Read: No, Holding Your Breath Is Not A Test For Coronavirus)", , , Claim 2: Mustard oil pushes coronavirus to the stomach where it is eliminated by the juices and chemicals, The stomach does contain hydrochloric acid in the form of gastric juices but there is no scientific evidence or study stating that these juices attack SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the role and impact of mustard oil on coronavirus has also not been studied., Dr. Shah stated that there is no study or theory suggesting the use of mustard oil or any other oil which affects SARS-CoV-2., A research study has stated the various benefits of mustard oil but so far there are no studies proving its use against COVID-19., Mustard oil is proven to assist in digestion, reduce risk of cancer, maintain normal body temperature, has antibacterial and antifungal properties, strengthens red blood cells, maintains cholesterol, and reduces diabetes., , BOOM’s WhatsApp Helpline, Need Help To Verify An Image Or A Video? Send It To Us On +91 77009 06588, Boom is now available on Telegram, Click here to read our latest fact check stories and other updates.
Ramdev's Claims Of Self-Testing, Mustard Oil Not Backed By Research