BENGALURU: The AYUSH Directorate has launched immunity-boosting products to be given to vulnerable populations in and around Covid-19 containment zones, and health workers. A kashaya mix and a Unani inhaler will be given to people for free. “We have decided to give these products in areas around containment zones as the people are more vulnerable there. Some of the containment zones have AYUSH hospitals where the products will be given, or a team of doctors will have them distributed to homes. As containment zones keep changing, we will get the list from the health department and give the products to the target population.

This is only for immunity building and is not a cure,” AYUSH Director Meenakshi Negi said. Negi said the products will be given to four categories of individuals -- healthy people near containment zones; frontline health workers, including nurses and ambulance drivers; patients who have recovered; high-risk people aged above 70 years, pregnant women and children below 10 years.

“We have already started distributing the products to ASHA workers and ambulance drivers... They will be given to all the 30,000 ASHA workers in the state,” she added. There are 200 AYUSH hospitals and 650 AYUSH dispensaries in the state, from where the products will be distributed to people for free. “In remote areas, we are going door-to-door,” she said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also highlighted the AYUSH ministry’s advisory on immunity enhancement. It mentioned simple general measures, including drinking of warm water throughout the day, and yogasana, pranayama and meditation for at least 30 minutes a day. It also mentioned the use of turmeric, coriander, cumin and garlic in food to help boost immunity.

AYUSH immunity enhancement measures (home remedies) include consumption of 10 gm of chyawanprash in the morning (diabetics may eat sugar-free variety), herbal tea made of tulsi, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger and raisins twice a day, and golden milk (half a teaspoon of turmeric in 150 ml of milk).