COVID-19 cure craze sees Indonesia adopt new methods of preventing virus
Aussies in Bali are trying one of a few bizarre COVID-19 cures as some of Indonesia’s leaders spruik potions, prayer, and booze infused steam to stop the killer virus.
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A bizarre COVID-19 cure craze is sweeping Indonesia, with some of the nation’s leaders
spruiking eucalyptus potions, prayer, and booze infused steam as remedies for the killer virus.
Indonesia’s agriculture minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo claims that wearing a necklace holding an amulet filled with a eucalyptus extract helps prevent transmission of coronavirus.
The eucalyptus amulet, a roll-on and a small inhaler are being developed by the country’s agriculture ministry and are tipped for mass produced this month.
Mr Limpo’s claims are supported by Indonesia’s health minister Terawan Agus Putranto, who said that people feel ‘more confident’ which could boost their immune system when they wear the necklace.
He has also said that prayer helps prevent the spread of the virus.
Influential Indonesian pop star Iis Dahlia, who was recruited by President Joko Widodo to endorse good hygiene and mask wearing to fight the spread of COVID-19, posted on social media to her 12 million followers that she wears the eucalyptus talisman.
The baffling post is among others where the celebrity is seen wearing science-backed plastic face covers and masks to support a positive health image.
Wayan Koster, the powerful governor of Bali, also weighed in with the as yet unproven remedy of inhaling steam from Balinese arak – a coconut palm liquor – as his nightly go-to treatment.
“People who have just tested positive to COVID undergo this treatment for two days, and on the third day, they are tested negative and are recovered,” Mr Koster said.
The arak steam is administered through a nebuliser and Mr Koster, who holds a PhD in mathematics, plans to patent the therapy.
In Lombok female public servants must wear the Islamic face covering of a niqab, in place of masks in what looks like a takeover of female office wear by Muslim fanatics rather than a public health demand.
The head of Lombok Regency, Mr Mohammad Suhaili Fadhil Thohir, said he made the order after government employees complained about wearing face masks during their weekly exercise session.
“It is purely for COVID-19 prevention and not based on radical teachings or fanaticism,” Mr Thohir said.
Sales of Indonesia’s traditional health tonic called jamu – a tincture made from boiled turmeric root, lemongrass, ginger and lime juice with hundreds of regional variations — have soared during the pandemic.
Aussie hipsters in Bali’s trendy area of Canggu to grandmothers in Borneo guzzle the bitter brew to support health.
Nikki Moriarty drinks jamu daily.
“Jamu is inexpensive and full of turmeric, ginger and lime juice – all of which are scientifically documented as being good for our health. I believe it is worth the effort
to have it very day. You never know,” she said.
In the United States, academic papers lament that Indonesia’s drink jamu by the millions in the hope of dodging the virus but they are oblivious to possible side effects.
“Continuous consumption of jamu has the potential to cause consumers to become steroid-dependent,” said researchers Michael Lim and Raymond Pranat in their paper.
Balinese priests believe that good karma and religious ceremonies assist in the fight against coronavirus.
The island’s High Priest, guru Pandita, said that chanting ‘Om’ 21 times a day, even for just one month, will improve the impact of COVID.
He reports a spike in demand for the ‘Agni Hotra’ ceremony in a among believers to cure or improve symptoms of COVID.
“This means chanting mantras from sacred Balinese texts, offering of nuts, seeds, ghee and flowers and wearing a red, white and black cotton bracelet that represents three gods and protects the wearer from negative energy (including) the COVID virus – which is a big negative energy. A coconut is thrown into a fire to help clear health problems associate with COVID,” Mr Pandita said.
Indonesia is a hot spot of coronavirus in south east Asia and has reported 141,370 cases of COVID-19 and 6207 deaths.
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