bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Amrit Dhillon

Doctors in India are baffled. Despite being told incessantly for more than a year that only masks, social distancing, and handwashing can protect them against coronavirus, some Indians still prefer to take fake “immunity boosters” and other herbal Covid-19 “cures”, or drink concoctions made from cow dung and urine.
At the cow shelter he runs in Geeta Colony in east New Delhi, Radha Kant Vats says people desperate to boost their immunity come to him for a special cocktail called panchakavyam, made of cow urine, dung, milk, curd and ghee (clarified butter).
“I tell them to have it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. With this inside them, they won’t get the virus. It’s worked for me,” Vats said.
Asked how the concoction was supposed to prevent infection, Vats said simply that the cow was a “mother”, claiming that as such, its waste products had disinfecting and medicinal properties that “the world has yet to discover”.
An MP of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Pragya Thakur, said on Monday that she drinks a glass of cow urine every day, which she claimed had protected her against the virus.

At some cow shelters in Gujarat, visitors are mixing cow dung and urine, applying it to their bodies, letting it dry, and washing it off with milk. A video that has since gone viral shows men smeared in the foul mixture claiming that it cures people of Covid-19.
Cows have always been regarded as sacred in Hinduism, but under the Hindu-nationalist ethos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP, they have acquired an even more elevated status in society.
It was perhaps inevitable that outlandish claims would emerge about the supposed miracle properties of cows amid the pandemic, particularly as unknown numbers of Indians struggle to find medical treatment in the wake of a savage second wave of infections that erupted in March.
India on Friday reported 259,551 new coronavirus cases over the past 24 hours, while deaths rose by 4,209. It has recorded more than 26 million infections since the start of the pandemic, with over 291,000 deaths.
The missteps that led India into an oxygen shortage amid a devastating Covid-19 surge
As the tidal wave of cases has overwhelmed hospitals, a growing number of Indians have decided that since beds, medicines and oxygen may not be available if they catch Covid-19, they had better not get it in the first place.
Advice on prevention has proliferated on WhatsApp, ranging from instructions to inhale steam five times a day or rub oil inside the nose, to tips on burning cow dung that supposedly releases smoke which “prevents” viral infections.
The faith in quack cures cuts across classes. Many BJP ministers who cannot claim the extenuating circumstances of illiteracy or poverty express such irrational beliefs. Former BJP minister Murli Manohar Joshi, for example, previously called for astrology to be offered as a university subject.


In February, yoga guru and BJP supporter Baba Ramdev launched a herbal remedy called Coronil which he claimed “completely cured” people of coronavirus. Despite these claims being entirely unproven, federal health minister Harsh Vardhan – a medical doctor – attended the product‘s launch.
Various factors are responsible for Indians’ faith in snake oil remedies. One is the high degree of religious belief in the country, which can often clash with science.
Another is a lack of education, and with it a failure to understand or apply the scientific method. Modi’s government, meanwhile, has actively promoted nonsense science out of an inflated sense of pride in ancient India’s achievements.
Bowel cleanse for better DNA: the nonsense science of Modi’s India
This has led to BJP leaders making absurd claims, such as when Modi himself cited the transplantation of the elephant head of the god Ganesha to a human as a great achievement of Indian surgery millennia ago.
The Indian Medical Association has repeatedly stated that irrational beliefs in cow waste products or the “miraculous” uses of herbs to boost immunity and “cure” Covid-19 are dangerous and unscientific.
Its current president, Dr Rajan Sharma, initially refused to share his thoughts on the use of cow dung and cow urine as a coronavirus therapy with the remark: “Why should I comment on idiots?”
I have only one question for these people. If they have the cure, why don’t we doctors go home and shut the hospitals?
Dr Rajan Sharma, Indian Medical Association president
Such “lunatics” as Ramdev or Thakur should not be reported on, Sharma said, adding: “I have only one question for these people. If they have the cure, why don’t we doctors go home and shut the hospitals? Even ministers are peddling this nonsense because they have an unscientific mindset.”
He illustrated his point by referring to the fact that Vardhan recently lamented the death of a well-known homeopath who the federal health minister claimed had “cured thousands of cancer patients”. “We are fighting a losing battle with views like this which are found right at the top of the government,” Sharma said.
As to the question of why hospitals should exist when traditional remedies supposedly work, Vats had no answers. “Let them follow their systems. Let us follow our traditional systems of medicine. I have faith in what I do and so do the people who come here,” said the cow shelter operator.
Fears grow that Nepal’s Covid-19 crisis could be even worse than India’s
Others, like herbal-remedy peddler Ramdev, try to create a scientific patina around their products to fool gullible consumers. They talk of their labs, tests, medical data, and “clinical trials”, which often involve tiny sample sizes and do not follow internationally accepted protocols.
Such people, while certainly dangerous, are thankfully in the minority in India, said author and commentator Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jnr.
“This minority is always in the media arc light but they are not the majority. Please remember that. And in India, if people follow superstitious beliefs about health, it is because they have no access to medical facilities,” he said.


Cow dung cocktails: why India can’t get enough of quack Covid-19 ‘cures’

A man bathes in milk to remove cow dung from his body as part of ‘therapy’ some believe boosts immunity at a cow shelter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, earlier this month. Photo: AFP

People apply cow dung on their bodies during "cow dung therapy" believing it will boost their immunity to defend against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Vishwavidya Pratishthanam Gaushala or cow shelter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India, May 9, 2021. Picture taken May 9, 2021. REUTERS/Amit Dave

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As a tidal wave of infections overwhelms the country’s hospitals, a growing number of Indians are turning to outlandish treatments with no scientific basis
Support for herbal ‘immunity boosters’ and other spurious treatments isn’t confined to the uneducated – it extends to the highest levels of government



As a tidal wave of infections overwhelms the country’s hospitals, a growing number of Indians are turning to fake ‘immunity boosters’, herbal coronavirus ‘cures’ – and elixirs made from cow urine and faeces.
