When asked about the large crowds outside that are not following Covid protocols

When asked about the large crowds outside that are not following Covid protocols, he said the security personnel posted are doing their best to ensure people maintain social-distancing. However, as several health department officials and former IAS officers, including former health secretary P V Ramesh, red-flagged the large gatherings as “a recipe for Covid disaster”, the AP government jumped into action.The State government on Monday permitted the usage of the herbal preparation being given to COVID patients by B. Anandaiah, an ayurvedic practitioner of Krishnapatnam in Nellore district, by taking into account the findings of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, but kept on hold its decision on the eye drops claimed to be life saving for those with dangerously low levels of oxygen.While giving the green signal to the herbal preparation, the government warned that COVID patients should not stop taking the drugs prescribed by doctors in the normal course.According to an official release, the government was yet to receive a conclusive proof of the efficacy of the eye drops, while it had been established that the concoction of ingredients such as honey, pepper, green camphor, nutmeg, black cumin, cinnamon and medicinal herbs was not harmful, but may not be able to cure the Coronavirus infection.CollectionFurther, the government said people could use the “Anandaiah medicine” by volition and suggested to COVID patients to send their family members or relatives to collect the medicine. This was to prevent overcrowding that could become a COVID super spreader. Besides, wearing face masks and keeping physical distance were to be strictly followed.It may be noted that Mr. Anandaiah claimed to be a practitioner of ayurveda for over 30 years and that the traditional medicines given by him were useful in treating not only COVID but also various other infections.On the other hand, a team of officers deputed by the Nellore District Collector to examine the medicine, reported that Mr. Anandaiah was not a qualified professional in ayurvedic medicine and the formula narrated by him did not form part of any standard recipe. Also, they observed that the eye drops might be harmful to sight in the long run.Not ayurvedic medicine’Meanwhile, Commissioner of AYUSH V. Ramulu told mediapersons that the herbal concoction being distributed by Mr. Anandaiah was not an ayurvedic medicine.It was found to not have any side effects and there were no such complaints so far. People could take the preparation as a health supplement that could boost immunity. The validation or otherwise of the eye drops was likely to take another two to three weeks. “Our MLA K Govardhan Reddy has been told not to promote or advertise this so-called miracle cure till the medical experts submit their reports. The CM is angry and upset over this,” an official said.“The government has decided to send the ayurvedic medicine, which is rumoured to be a miracle cure for Covid-19, to the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) for a detailed study of its efficacy. The government has also decided to send a team of medical experts including Ayurveda doctors to Nellore to examine the formulation of the medicine,’’ the official added.