Are suob and salabat helpful amid COVID-19 pandemic? Medical anthropologist shares insight

Drinking salabat and doing suob are two remedies which have been done by some Filipinos as relief for sickness, but do they really help against COVID-19?

In an interview on "The Howie Severino Podcast," medical anthropologist Michael Tan said these local remedies help in the psycho-social aspect of dealing with the pandemic.

Many people believe ginger tea and turmeric to have health benefits. Suob, or steam inhalation, is also believed to be helpful in relieving cough.

"Without making any claims, I think it's time to say that's okay," Tan said. "I've seen actually some DOH [officials] think na 'Hindi 'yan gamot.' No one's ever make the claim na gamot 'yan."

"The thing is in many traditional medical remedies, if you want to call it that, what's important is it brings comfort, e," he added. "Given our uncertain times, it's like comfort food as well. Pagbigyan na 'yan. It's something familiar to people, e."

While Tan acknowledged that some people will not be comforted by it, he said that for many others, it can evoke memories of their mother caring for them.

"In this time of being alone and isolated, we have to look at psycho-social aspects of many of our traditional practices. Touch is of course very important. But we cannot touch each other," he said.

'Lamig' and social obligations

Like salabat and suob, other aspects of Filipino culture have been affecting the country's pandemic response.

Tan said what should be emphasized is empowering health workers to reassure people about the science so they would be more careful.

"Ang tingin ng mga tao sa health care workers is ano, e, parang assistant ng mga pulis to look for people who are infected and to put them into quarantine," he said. "People are hiding their family members who are infected."

Tan also said Filipinos delay having themselves tested or seeking professional help even when they experience symptoms.

"Bakit may delay? And you know during that delayed period, they infect other people," he said. "And then, I say, 'Pero may nararamdaman naman kayo, bakit hindi kayo nag-ano rito ng doctor?'"

"Their answer's always, 'Akala ko kasi nalamigan lang. Or akala ko naulanan.' Because the belief is [if] you get rained on, then you'll start have those symptoms nga, ano," he added.

Tan said that short delay matters, as that could mean more infections.

"And then we find out that where did they get infected? They went off to attend a burol or a wake for someone," he said.

"So the social obligations still bring people together. And I'm worried about Christmas, no. That we still feel obligated, especially because government again is swinging to the other extreme and saying, 'We're alright now. We're now on Level 1,'" he said.

"You just wait, we're going to get an outburst of infections again," he added.

Better health communication

Tan said there is a need for better communication of information amid the pandemic.

"The health department has been very bad with communication. I know they have a good team right now but their hands are tied, e," he said.

"Kaya 'yung messaging ang hirap, e. There's lack of consistency. Look at the shields thing. We're the only country in the world [that uses it] until today— incidentally it's now optional—but we insisted on the shields," he added.

Tan said every time he runs into friends from China he asks them, "Why aren't you using the shield?" His friends would then reply, "We don't believe in shields."

"'The shields are made in China. You are not required to wear shields in China so why are you dumping it on us?' And they laughed and they said, 'You know the answer.' It's corruption again, right? Think of the millions of pesos spent for those shields," he said.

Tan said the use of face shields is not science-based.

"Oh God. No. And look, now they were withdrawing it. They put up the plastic dividers. They emphasize the wrong things. They put up the plastic dividers in jeepneys and they said, 'Hindi na kailangan,'" he said.

"But you know DepEd is requiring all their teachers to put up these dividers naman in the school that are going to have face-to-face. Nakakaawa talaga ang mga bata."

—JAB/MGP, GMA News