WATCH: Alcohol kills the virus, says Nairobi governor on including Hennessy in care packages

Governor of Nairobi Mike Sonko has left the continent in a state of shock after including Hennessy cognac in the coronavirus care packages to the poor.

The governor said an apparent research by the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed alcohol played a “major role” in killing coronavirus or any sort of virus.

“We will be giving some small bottles of Hennessy in the food package, which we will give to our people. I think from the research conducted by the World Health Organisation and various health organisations it has been revealed that alcohol plays a very major role in killing the coronavirus or any sort of virus,” he said.

Global CEO of Amref Health Africa Dr Githinji Gitahi, slammed the governor, calling on the Kenyan government to call him out.

He said: “Please completely ignore clowning of a major global pandemic taking lives and putting extreme pressure on households. Dump this the way you would dump your used #Covid19 #mask — never to be recovered! @MOH_Kenya needs to condemn this as this is not an ordinary citizen!”

The WHO has, in fact, warned citizens to avoid alcohol altogether.

“Stay sober so that you can remain vigilant, act quickly and make decisions with a clear head, for yourself and others in your family and community.

“Alcohol use, especially heavy use, weakens the immune system and thus reduces the ability to cope with infectious diseases.

“Alcohol alters your thoughts, judgment, decision-making and behaviour.”

Responding to a myth that alcohol destroys the virus, the WHO said consuming alcohol would not destroy the virus, and its consumption was likely to increase the health risks if a person became infected with the virus.

“Alcohol (at a concentration of at least 60% by volume) works as a disinfectant on your skin, but it has no such effect within your system when ingested.

“Drinking strong alcohol kills the virus in the inhaled air. Consumption of alcohol will not kill the virus in the inhaled air; it will not disinfect your mouth and throat; and it will not give you any kind of protection against Covid-19,” it said.

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

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