Claim: Drinking alcohol can help fight coronavirus

Source: Moses Onyah

Verdict: False

Researched by Rabiu Alhassan

Does drinking alcoholic beverages help fight coronavirus?

That is the claim made in a news clip by UTV, a popular television broadcaster in Ghana and uploaded onto YouTube.

The news clip reveals the claim was allegedly made by the President of Beverage Consumers and Bar Owners in Ghana Association, Moses Onyah.

Alcohol Vs Coronavirus

Speaking in an indigenous Ghanaian language-Twi, the UTV news presenter said:

“We have all been encouraged to use hand sanitizers and this contains alcohol. So, if one can be protected from the coronavirus if you use alcohol-based sanitizers to clean your hands, then how come people are being prevented from taking in alcoholic beverages to fight/protect themselves from the virus.”

The news presenter mentioned that the claim was allegedly made by Moses Onyah, however, there was no attempt to inform the public as to whether it was true or false.

Fact-check

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), “drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous.”

“Frequent or excessive alcohol consumption can increase your risk of health problems.” The specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health noted on the myth-busters page of its website.

The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has also dismissed the claim as false.

“In the first place it is not true, secondly there is no scientific evidence to establish the claim. You put yourself at risk by excessively consuming alcohol which can give you liver condition,” Head of Food Industrial Support Services Department at the FDA, Ebenezer Kofi Essel told GhanaFact.

Retraction

Presented with the rebuttals from the WHO and FDA, Moses Onyah in an interview with GhanaFact said he was misquoted by UTV.

“I have never said that in any way. What UTV is saying, is a misquoted something. Unless they have a voice where if I have said something like that, then I can listen and make the necessary retraction,” he said.

Alcohol poisoning kills 700 Iranians

More than 700 Iranians died from alcohol poisoning in April after drinking methanol alcohol because some false reports claimed ingesting that cures Covid-19.

Drinking bars opened in Ghana?

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture was recently forced to clarify that drinking bars and night clubs in Ghana should remain closed, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus.

This follows an earlier statement from the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) indicating that hotels, restaurants and food chains should resume operations while observing appropriate social distancing and hygiene protocols.

The GTA statement was mischievously edited by disinformers who falsely claimed that “drinking bars can operate while observing appropriate social distancing and hygienic protocol.”

Conclusion

The claim that drinking alcoholic beverages can help fight coronavirus is false.