Obvs! Sedgwick's Old Brown Sherry is not a cure for Covid-19, warns brewer

Old Brown Sherry is not a cure for Covid-19, as claimed in viral social media posts.

Rumours have been circulating on social media in which is it claimed that not only does a glass of Sedgwick's Old Brown Sherry “make your blood warm”, it also kills the deadly coronavirus.

The rumours started circulating after a WhatsApp voice note was shared online.

In the voice note, a Xhosa-speaking woman in the Eastern Cape claimed that a child, who had been very ill from Covid-19, was “cured” after having a sip from their uncle's alcohol stash.

However, Distell Group debunked the rumours and said it was aware of the WhatsApp voice note doing the rounds on social media.

The group also said it did not condone the consumption of alcohol by minors.

“We have become aware of a WhatsApp voice note alleging that Old Brown Sherry offers medicinal benefits. This is simply not true,” the group said in a statement.

“Old Brown Sherry is not a cure for Covid-19. We are equally shocked and extremely concerned that the voice note also suggests that Old Brown Sherry can be consumed by minors. It is illegal for alcohol to be sold to or consumed by anyone under the age of 18, and as Distell we do not condone the consumption of alcohol by minors.”

The group advised all consumers to always refer to official sources of information about Covid-19 before sharing rumours.

According to the World Health Organisation, drinking alcohol does not protect one against Covid-19 and can be dangerous. The organisation warned that the harmful use of alcohol increases one's risk of health problems.