Kenya — Mike Sonko, the governor of Nairobi, Kenya, is being criticized over his plans to include small bottles of Hennessy in thousands of COVID-19 care packages that are being distributed to needy families. He says it should be included because it could be used as a “throat sanitizer.”
“I think from the research conducted by the World Health Organization and various organizations, it has been believed that alcohol plays a major role in killing the coronavirus,” Sonko said in a video according to CNN.
The World Health Organization (WHO), however, has disputed the claim saying that alcohol does not protect against coronavirus. The organization also advised people to minimize alcohol consumption as it may weaken one’s health, making it more vulnerable to viruses such as coronavirus.
Githinji Gitahi, the CEO of Amref Health Africa, a medical nonprofit, took to Twitter to voice his opinon about Sonko’s claim. He urged Kenyans to just get rid of the alcoholic drink.
Moreover, Hennessy itself also issued a statement disproving Sonko’s claims that Hennessy or any other alcoholic beverage can prevent coronavirus. “Hennessy would like to stress that the consumption of our brand or any other alcoholic beverage does not protect against the virus,” the company said in a statement.