Health officials are warning that over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs may make coronavirus worse.

French health minister  Olivier Véran, a qualified doctor and neurologist, is urging people to opt for paracetamol instead of ibuprofen to stay safe.

 

He wrote on Twitter: “The taking of anti-inflammatories [ibuprofen, cortisone … ] could be a factor in aggravating the infection.

"In case of fever, take paracetamol. If you are already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctor’s advice.”

According to health officials, anti-inflammatory drugs are a known risk for people with infectious illnesses because they can decrease the response of the body’s immune system,  the Guardian  reports.

They are recommending that people should take paracetamol instead because it “it will reduce the fever without counterattacking the inflammation”.

First news was that the twitter account of Olivier Veran is hacked and that is fake news:

Information that medicines containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and cortisone may aggravate existing infections that can lead to "complications" has been proven to be untrue,

Initially, a publication appeared on social media in which French Health Minister Olivier Veran warned about the effects of certain types of medicines on those infected by 19.

"Taking anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, cortisone...) could be an aggravating factor for the infection," Véran tweeted.

"In case of fever take paracetamol. If you are already on a course of anti-inflammatories or if you are in doubt then consult your doctor," Véran added on Twitter.

His tweet was rapidly retweeted thousands of times with many members of the public asking for further information and a source for his reasoning.

It turned out that the minister's profile had been hacked and the information disseminated was incorrect. False information was reported by Figaro newspaper and quickly circulated through the media.

It is expected that the health authorities in Bulgaria will officially announce which drugs are effective against the infection and which are not.