Do-it-yourself Covid ‘home cures’ lead to rise in poisonings

A growing number of people are trying home remedies for Covid sourced off the internet, including nebulising hydrogen peroxide and medicating with the sheep de-wormer Ivermectin.

A growing number of people diagnosed with Covid have been self-medicating with do-it-yourself cures off the internet including nebulising hydrogen peroxide.

The NSW Poisons Information (PIC) service has been receiving two calls a week since the latest Sydney Covid outbreak started in June from people who have overdosed or had concerns about poisoning with the home cures.

Gargling household disinfectant and nebulising hydrogen peroxide are the two biggest home remedies reported, in addition to people medicating with the sheep de-wormer Ivermectin.

People are using Ivermectin, a sheep de-wormer, to treat Covid. Picture: Luis Robayo/AFP

Genevieve Adamo, senior specialist in poisons said calls to the Poisons information centre were up 10 per cent in the past financial year with 55 calls specific to self-medicating for Covid.

“I expect it is much higher, there are people out there doing this thinking they are doing the right thing,” Ms Adamo said.

“Of particular concern is people nebulising hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide is an oxidising agent you used as a topical antiseptic in low concentrations but there is no evidence of its effectiveness in treating Covid.

“The side effects range from respiratory irritation and in high concentrations it can cause cell damage to the lungs and corrosive injuries because it can burn in high concentrations.

“There are alternative treatments like this put on the internet and there is so much on the internet and being able to interpret what is good and what is not. Some look legitimate and it is easy to mistake this information as valid.”

Genevieve Adamo, from the NSW Poisons Information Centre, is warning people against Covid home remedies.

There is even a Facebook page dedicated Hydrogen peroxide nebulisation which calls itself an ‘Alternative & Holistic Health Service’.

“There are alternative practitioners, and this is mostly coming from overseas so it is hard to determine what a legitimate practitioners is, there are people calling themselves doctors, but people need to be really cautious about what they see on the internet,” Ms Adamo said.

Respiratory physician Professor Matthew Peters said inhaling hydrogen peroxide via a nebuliser could do substantial harm to lung tissue.

“It does nothing good first up, at low concentrations it can be a milk irritant, but at higher concentrations there’s potential for airway damage,” Prof Peters said.

Hydrogen peroxide is being used to treat Covid, leading to poisonings.

“As a respiratory physician, knowing Covid as I do, it frightens me the misinformation out there any hydrogen peroxide is one of those ineffective treatments advocated for reasons the defy my understanding.”

People have also reported suspected poisonings with household disinfectant Ms Adamo said.

“People are using disinfectant as a mouthwash, on their food, more of a preventive, but disinfectant mouth wash and in some cases ingesting disinfectants which can cause corrosive injuries,” she said.

There have been several calls to the PIC regarding the horse de-wormer advocated by the likes of Member for Hughes Craig Kelly and the Nationals George Christensen who has admitted to taking Ivermectin.

“We have had some calls relating to Ivermectin. People think they are treating it and we have had calls about Ivermectin, the veterinary version,” Ms Adamo said, adding the biggest issue was sick people delaying evidence-based treatment for Covid.

“Most importantly, they are delaying treatment and not getting effective treatment because they feel they are treating it themselves. People need to realise the best treatment if they are unwell, is from doctors and in hospital if deemed appropriate.

“If there is one take home message is we have to trust the system which is excellent, but we have very good health professionals who are much smarter than us determining the best treatments.”

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Originally published as Do-it-yourself Covid ‘home cures’ lead to rise in poisonings