COVID-19: Only mad dogs, Union minister of state for health go out in noon sun: Shashi Tharoor

He was reacting to Ashwini Choubey's comment on "absorbing sunlight"

Shashi Tharoor PTI Shashi Tharoor | PTI

Amidst spiralling cases of COVID-19 in the country, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday advocated "absorbing sunlight" as a possible precaution against coronavirus that has claimed over 8,000 lives globally.

Reacting to this comment which lacks scientific evidence, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a video that has gone viral on social media, said, "There is an expression that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in noon day sun. It looks like it is mad dogs, Englishmen and the MoS for health who have been spending too much time in the noon day sun."

Further, the Congress leader pointed out that clearly there is no scientific evidence whatsoever to suggest this can actually cure anything, let alone something as dangerous as coronavirus.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Choubey had said 10-15 minutes in the sun would build immunity as sunlight provides Vitamin D.

"From 11 am to 2 pm the sun is shining brightly. We should spend at least 10-15 minutes to absorb sunlight so that we get vitamin D which improves the immunity of our body and also kills such viruses. All should be aware of (this fact)," the Union minister had said.

COVID-19 cases in India climbed to 169 on Thursday after 18 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Union health ministry.

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