Covid is mainly caught by inhaling tiny droplets in the air via the nose as well as the mouth, so gargling attacks only one point of entry.
And once the virus has entered, it replicates and spreads deep into the organs, where no amount of gargling can reach.
North Korea is grappling with the spread of Covid in an unvaccinated population, and without access to effective anti-viral drugs people are being advised to try alternative remedies such as drinking herbal tea and gargling salt water.
In early 2020, the country sealed its borders to try to insulate itself from the pandemic.
Its leadership has so far rejected outside medical support.
We’ve been monitoring state media, which is recommending various traditional treatments to deal with what is referred to as “fever”.
Herbal teas
For those not seriously ill, ruling-party newspaper Rodong Sinmun recommended remedies including ginger or honeysuckle tea and a willow-leaf drink.
Gargling salt water
State media recently interviewed a couple who recommended gargling with salt water morning and night.
A “thousand of tonnes of salt” had been sent to Pyongyang to make an “antiseptic solution”, the state news agency reported.
Some studies suggest gargling and nasal rinses with salt water could help combat viruses that cause the common cold.
But there is little evidence they slow the spread of Covid.
Covid is mainly caught by inhaling tiny droplets in the air via the nose as well as the mouth, so gargling attacks only one point of entry.
And once the virus has entered, it replicates and spreads deep into the organs, where no amount of gargling can reach.
Source: BBC NEWS
