MANILA, Philippines — There is no concrete evidence to show that eating bananas can protect a person from being infected by the 2019 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Department of Health (DOH) made this clarification on Wednesday and debunked claims that eating bananas can help prevent COVID-19 transmission.
“Wala pa hong ebidensya, wala pang masusing pag aaral na makapagbibigay ng hard science or ebidensya para sabihin na talagang bananas will prevent the transmission or prevent a person from having COVID-19,” DOH Undersecretary Rosette Vergeire said in a Laging Handa press briefing.
(There is no evidence, no study that could provide hard science or proof that bananas will prevent the transmission or prevent a person from having COVID-19.)
“Huwag lang nilang isipin na hindi sila magkakaroon nitong sakit na ito dahil kumakain sila ng saging,” she added.
(They should not think that they will not contract the disease if they are eating bananas.)
She, however, pointed out that eating bananas is good for the body and the DOH is not preventing people from eating the tropical fruit.
Meanwhile, local scientists will coordinate with scientists in Singapore to study the effect of virgin coconut oil on COVID-19, Vergeire said.
In a recent press briefing, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo claimed that eating bananas and gargling salt water can help prevent COVID-19 transmission.
Panelo revealed that he has been eating bananas everyday as he had read on the internet that it could help fend off the respiratory virus.
He also said that he has been gargling salt water to help prevent transmission.
To date, 193 individuals were so far confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, with 14 deaths. Meanwhile, seven people have recovered from the disease. /MUF