Home-Based Remedies to Prevent COVID-19-Associated Risk of Infection, Admission, Severe Disease, and Death: A Nested Case-Control Study

Table 3

Qualitative analysis of modes, pattern, methods, and ingredients of home remedies’ practices as prevention of COVID-19.

Home-based remedies administered within the past two weeks prior to testing for COVID-19
Mode of administration	Method of administration and main ingredients
Steam inhalation	(i) Pure steam inhalation: this is the most dominant theme with almost half of all steam inhalations in our study were practiced using pure steam.; (ii) Various herbal concoctions used in steam inhalation: this is the next dominant theme of method of practice of steam inhalation. There are subthemes under this approach which are described below: (a) Neem tree leaves alone was the most common method under this subtheme; (b) Various combinations including neem tree leaves, for example: (1) Neem tree and lime; (2) Neem tree and lemon; (3) Neem tree and pawpaw leaves; (4) Neem tree leaves plus ginger and pineapple; (5) Neem tree leaves plus pineapple peels, cloves, and lemon; (c) Unspecified herbs used in steam inhalation; (iii) Menthol-based steam inhalation using menthol crystals or menthol-based preparations.
Baths	(i) Herbal baths: this is also the most dominant theme with almost half of all baths practiced using this method. The herbs used for herbal baths included the following: (a) Neem tree leaves alone was the most common method under this subtheme; (b) Neem tree and pawpaw leaves; (ii) Unspecified herbs
Drinks	Ginger-based drinks: ginger due to its burning properties is believed to burn SARS-CoV-2 and is a commonly practiced method of most of the home remedies. It was found to be taken in the following ways: (i) Ginger drink with or without sugar or honey; (ii) Ginger as part of other remedies such as garlic, lemon, and hibiscus; Lemon-based drinks: this a dominant team with more than a quarter of all home-based remedies having lemon in the mixture. The following subthemes of lemon used were found: (i) Lemon in warm water with or without sugar or honey; (ii) Undiluted lemon juice; (iii) Lemon and ginger mixture with or without sugar or honey; (iv) Lemon together with other fruits; (v) Lemon, ginger, garlic, and honey; Lime-based drinks: this is one of the dominant themes. Lime taken to prevent COVID-19 is usually in the following forms: (i) Lime in warm water with or without sugar or honey; (ii) Lime and ginger in warm water with or without honey; (iii) Lime juice in undiluted form; Locally made herbal boiled drinks: (i) Neem tree leaves drink: neem tree leaves boiled and taken warm; (ii) Guava leaves: guava leaves drink taken alone or with other herbs; (iii) Pineapple peels boiled; (v) Moringa leaves: this is taken in various forms: (a) Plain moringa leaves drink; (b) Moringa leaves with cocoa powder and cinnamon with or without honey; Spices mixed drinks; (i) Aidan fruit, locally called “prekese,” taken as drink or mixed with other spices; (ii) Cloves taken as drink or mixed with ginger and other home-based remedies; Fruit juices: in various forms and combinations of fruits; pineapple, oranges, and mixed fruit drinks.; Hibiscus-based drinks: dried Hibiscus leaves and ginger drink, locally called “sobolo,” is widely believed to prevent and/or cure COVID-19. The Hibiscus-based drinks were taken in the following forms: (a) Hibiscus and ginger with or without sugar or honey; (b) Hibiscus and ginger with fruits such as pineapple and/or lemon or lime; (c) Hibiscus and ginger with spices such as Aidan fruit, locally called “prekese”; Teas: increased tea intake or newly adopted lifestyle of tea intake to prevent COVID-19 was also practised by some. In all instances, the teas are taken warm. The commonest types of tea taken included the following: (a) Locally made herbal tea; (b) Lemon and ginger tea; (c) Other plain tea; Warm water: warm water is taken by many because of the widely held belief that SARS-CoV-2 survives best in cold environment and is destroyed by heat. The methods of taking the water are either one of the following ways or both: (a) Warm water; (b) Cucumber in water; Apple cider vinegar: this is taken in warm water or mixed with other home-based remedies such as honey and lemon.
Food eaten or changes in diet	Dietary changes: changes in the content of the diet was a common theme in more than 30% of all who reported some home-based remedies: (i) Changes in the content and quantity of diet; (ii) Adopting a healthy eating habit; Fruit intake: more than half of all who reported a home remedy cited a change in fruit intake with the following pattern or subthemes: (i) Started taking fruits at least once each day; (ii) Increased the number and types of fruits consumed daily; Vegetables: some participants report a change in the consumption pattern of vegetables: (i) Increase in vegetable intake; (ii) Increase in fruit and vegetable intake; Ginger chewed with or without sugar in raw or dried forms.; Other dietary changes: this includes addition of certain spices and seeds in diet such as black seed oil, ginger, and Aiden fruit (prekese).
Exercise	Exercise of all forms as the main change of habit to prevent COVID-19.
Gurgle	Gurgle was the least dominant theme in the following forms: (i) Warm saline water gurgle; (ii) Chlorhexidine solution in warm water gurgle

One person stated resting well.