Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu at night on Sunday, 15 March, lashed out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for the latter's remarks that paracetamol was enough to treat the novel coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
“Coronavirus claims lives and it spreads VERY VERY fast. It cannot be taken lightly, especially by a man sitting on the CM's chair. Shocked to see @YSJagan say that it can be treated with Paracetamol," Naidu tweeted.
In the video shared by Naidu, Jagan is seen saying, "We have to be aware of a few facts about coronavirus. It is being shown as a dangerous virus that kills people. There is no need to hit the panic button. It comes and it goes for around 80% of the people. The medication for this is also paracetamol."
Naidu, in a continuation of his response, said, "If that was the case, all the countries of the world wouldn't break their heads much, and instead simply shore up their paracetamol production lines. I urge people to ignore whatever the Chief Minister has blabbered and take every precaution to avoid the dreaded disease."
Jagan made the comments while speaking to reporters on Sunday after he took strong exception to the postponement of local body elections in the state.
While Jagan's comments drew flak on social media, he is not the first chief minister to make such remarks.
Earlier this month, it was Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who said in the state's Assembly that "There is no need to panic about coronavirus. Just paracetamol is enough for it."
While paracetamol is one among the medicines that are being prescribed to patients of COVID-19 who suffer from fever and body pains, there is no cure or antiviral drug for the deadly disease as of now. KCR's statement had also been flayed by the BJP in the state.
(This article has been republished in arrangement with The News Minute)
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