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Against the tide // Idiots Of The Covid Year: Take your pick

Sun 20 Dec 2020    
EcoBalance
| 2 min read

2020 showed us once again that science is the key to human survival. The world waited this year with baited breaths for the news of Covid-19 vaccine.

While the scientists around the world raced against time to find a vaccine for coronavirus, several politicians and self-claimed experts raced against common sense to offer weird solutions to the virus.

The solutions ranged from being just funny to outrageous and dangerous. But one thing they had in common was an assault on common sense and science.

Here are the nominees for the Idiot of the Covid year:

Leading the pack, of course, was Donald Trump who suggested injecting disinfectant as a treatment for coronavirus. What’s worse is that some blokes actually followed up on his advice prompting the well-known disinfectant companies to declare that their products are not for human consumption. Trump also proposed the idea of exposing patients to UV light to sniff out the virus!

But then Trump was not the only one who played Outlier-in-chief in the crazy year.

In Belarus, President Alexander Lukashenko suggested bizarre methods such as driving a “tractor” and drinking alcohol to prevent contracting the novel coronavirus.

In June, Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli declared the country Covid-19 free thanks to “prayers by citizens”. Magufuli had refused to close down religious places over the pandemic, claiming that the virus was “satanic” and can’t survive in the body of Christ!

Closer home in India, a number of gems kept people entertained through the nightmare of the year.

A bunch of loonies belonging to the right-wing outfit Hindu Mahasabha sounded the bugle of war on corona with a gau mutra (cow urine) with the party claiming that it was a cure for the deadly virus.

Suman Haripriya, a BJP legislator in the state of Assam, also amused many when she claimed that ‘gaumutra’ (cow urine) and ‘gobar’ (cow dung) can cure coronavirus.

And if you find that hard to gulp, a union minister of the govt of India had a crisp solution of his own — Bhabhiji Papad. And promoting this was no fringe loony, but a union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. Munch on it. Well the video went viral, but the joke turned on the minister when he himself tested positive for the virus. Wonder if he sought a refund from Bhabhiji.

Moving on, another MP from India’s ruling BJP, Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria, had suggested that a mud pack and blowing a “shankh” (conch) could help fight the coronavirus infection. He too later tested positive for Covid-19. Heard of a solution blowing in the face!!

And when any tom, dick and harry was suggesting a cure for corona, can Baba Ramdev be far behind? India’s world famous yoga guru launched ‘Coronil’, which he claimed was a cure for Covid, with much fanfare, only to be slammed by the scientific and medical community. We are yet to hear back from him on his magical cure.

While some offered instant solutions, others like another Indian minister Ramdas Athavale decided to shout down the virus. Yes, “Go Corona, Go!” became a war cry. And he even got a Chinese diplomat to chant the slogans with him at Mumbai’s Gateway of India. Guess, Corona didn’t listen.

Well, the virus is still here. The only hope is a vaccine, not these wisecracks. So mask up and keep distance, especially from idiots.


Disclaimer: All views and opinions expressed in The Brew View – our opinion section – are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of TheBrew.ae, the company, or any of its members.


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