Manufacturer of Hennessy Cognac Reacts to Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s Claims That Drinking Alcohol Kills Covid-19

The producer of Hennessy Cognac has clarified that the alcohol brand does not protect consumers from contracting the coronavirus disease.

The French company issued the statement after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko included bottles of Hennessy Cognac in the food donation hamper he has been distributing to poor residents in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sonko alleged that research by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that alcohol kills the virus. But in a statement, Hennessy dismissed Sonko’s claims, saying the alcoholic drink does not kill or shield one from Covid-19.

“Our attention has been drawn to a video circulating across different media channels on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, alleging that the consumption of Hennessy helps to fight against COVID-19.”

“Hennessy would like to stress that the consumption of our brand or any other alcoholic beverage does not protect against the virus,” said Hennessy in the statement.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, Sonko says: “We are giving some small bottles of Hennessy in the food pack which we should give to our people… From the research conducted by the World Health Organization, it has been revealed that alcohol plays a major role in killing the coronavirus or any sort of virus.”

WHO previously warned that drinking alcohol cannot protect one from Covid-19.