THE Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday, June 25, 2020, joined medical associations in the country that warned of the health risks posed by “tuob” or steam inhalation therapy.
In her regular virtual press briefing, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said there is no scientific evidence that such therapy kills Sars-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Instead, she said this may cause scalding injuries.
“Ang steam inhalation din po ay nagpaparami ng secretions sa ilong na posibleng makahawa ng sakit sa pamamagitan ng pagbahing o pag-ubo ng indibidwal,” Vergeire said.
She said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the World Health Organization have thumbed down the therapy.
The DOH issued the statement a day after Cebu Government Gwendolyn Garcia was widely criticized on social media for advocating tuob and publicly shaming a doctor who had threatened to slap her and wished Capitol employees ill.
The governor has stressed that she did not claim that tuob can cure Covid-19.
Earlier Thursday, 13 medical societies issued a joint statement warning that steam inhalation does not kill the virus and “may cause potential harm”.
The groups stated that while scientific journals have cited steam inhalation therapy for providing relief of nasal congestion, dry cough and other respiratory symptoms, these journals also recommended “judicious use, especially in children, whose delicate skin are prone to scalding injuries from prolonged steam exposure”.
“We stand by up-to-date medical evidence that steam inhalation has not been demonstrated to kill viruses, specifically the Sars-Co-V virus that causes Covid-19. The practice may even be precarious, if done by infected individuals, as it may facilitate spread if done communally,“ they added.
Both the DOH and the medical societies said that those who continue to practice “tuob” should exercise caution and consult a doctor if symptoms persist.
Vergeire reiterated the government’s call to the public to stay at home and avoid unnecessary trips as well as comply with safety protocols such as wearing of face masks, frequent hand washing, use of disinfectants and observing physical distancing.
“We have to be the solution. Nasa ating kamay po ang kaligtasan nating lahat (Our safety is in our hands),” she said. (Marites Villamor-Ilano/SunStar Philippines)