T.I. gave some terrible advice about how to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic in an interview with Complex.
While defending his decision to go clubbing and not wear a mask while coronavirus infections are increasing in many states, the Grand Hustle founder claimed to use a debunked myth involving drinking warm liquids to “kill” COVID-19.
“I’ve researched and I’ve found that COVID starts in the throat,” he said. “A scratchy throat, a sore throat, before it makes its way, it grows and it travels to the lungs. If you catch it while it’s still in the throat and you drink warm liquids, the warm liquids wash it down to the stomach where the stomach acid then kill it.”
But T.I.’s belief has no basis in truth. The idea of catching COVID-19 in the throat and getting rid of it with stomach acid has been refuted by people who are actually in the medical field.
“While it is true that coronavirus can cause a sore throat and gargling with warm water may make it feel better, it has no direct effect on the virus,” Amesh Adalja, MD, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said in an article about COVID-19 facts and myths on Johns Hopkins University’ Public Health website.
Cardiff University’s Ron Eccles, a respiratory disease expert and former director of the Common Cold Centre, also told the BBC, “There is no evidence that hot drinks will protect against viral infections.”
While the world waits on a vaccine, face masks have proven to be the most effective way to combat the spread of COVID-19. The New York Times actually ran an in-depth piece on why they work on Friday (October 30). But T.I. insisted he can make it through the pandemic without following the advice of health experts.
“I’ve taken 13 COVID tests, they’ve all come back negative,” T.I. asserted. “All of ’em … It’s not like I’m just careless about my concerns for the virus. I just refuse to live in fear. I’d rather prepare, and when I say prepare, some people feel like that’s the mask.”
He continued, “I myself have a perspective I’d rather boost my immune system to defend me against COVID should I come in contact with it rather than wear a mask and hide in fear of coming in contact with it.”
Listen to what T.I. had to say below.