The Government Does Not Need To Over-claim The Anti-COVID-19 Necklace

The Ministry of Agriculture's anti-COVID-19 necklace. (Photo: Ministry of Agriculture)

JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo is in the public spotlight after introducing a necklace which is claimed to be able to prevent COVID-19 because it can kill 80 percent of the corona virus.

Responding to this, the Head of the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Amin Soebandrio, reminded the government not to over-claim findings related to COVID-19.

"We must remind each other not to over-claim. If we place a supplementary substance to improve fitness, it should not be immediately claimed as an antiviral," Amin said in the MNC Trijaya discussion, Saturday, July 11.

Amin said, the efficacy of eucalyptus, which is the main ingredient of anti-COVID-19 necklaces, should be tested with the applicable procedures first so that people do not have high expectations for the necklace.

He continued, if there are natural ingredients that want to be further developed into modern medicine, it must be ensured that they will be useful in healing COVID-19.

For example, supplements that are said to help cure COVID-19. Supplements are proven to increase immunity. Meanwhile, the healing process for COVID-19 will be faster if the patient has high immunity levels.

"Medicine must have benefits, but it cannot be claimed too highly so that people can react to it properly, not over-expect," he said.

Criticized by the DPR

As is known, the anti-COVID-19 necklace made by the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) has questionable benefits. This necklace is a conversation in getting the work of Commission IV DPR. Members who attended questioned the product to the Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo who was present at the meeting.

Member of Commission IV Mindo Sianipar from the PDIP faction admitted that he was not so sure that the necklace had effective properties to kill the COVID-19 virus. Mindo reminded the Ministry of Agriculture to be careful because in conveying information to the public.

"Later, make a statement, later it will be bullied. Like now you get information from your staff, what is that antivirus necklace. Technologically, I am not sure Sir regarding the antivirus technology," he said, during a hearing with the Ministry of Agriculture, Tuesday, July 7.

After continuing to be scanned, the Ministry of Agriculture explained that this eucalyptus necklace can only prevent the corona virus, not COVID-19.

Head of the Center for Veterinary Research at the Ministry of Agriculture Ni Luh Putu Indi Dharmayanti said testing of this product was carried out not for the virus that causes COVID-19 but for another corona virus whose model is already owned by the laboratory.