In response to John Fairburn's letter, which suggested Ivermectin was an effective treatment for Covid-19 (The Weekend Sun, February 19, page 30), I feel it is only fair to give this newspaper's large Bay of Plenty readership the facts from a trusted source – namely our Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

In a cautionary statement released last year, the Ministry of Health confirmed there is 'no evidence that the compound has any efficacy against Covid-19 in humans”. Furthermore, they strongly recommend 'the public do not buy and treat themselves with Ivermectin for Covid-19. When ingested in high doses, Ivermectin can have a serious effect on humans”.

Ivermectin is a macrocyclic lactone medicine used to treat parasitic infections in animals. Vets dosing animals with it must wear masks, gloves and glasses, as it is highly irritative to the skin.

In my opinion it was incorrect and dangerous to publish Mr Fairburn's claims, and an apology from The Weekend Sun would be appropriate – particularly as it ran under the misleading headline of ‘Covid alternative medicine'. Meanwhile, vaccinations will give New Zealanders safe protection against Covid19, and Mr Fairburn will be reassured to know that Dr Helen Petousis-Harris, NZ Vaccinologist, confirms: 'After 200 million Covid vaccines given worldwide, there's been no deaths attributed to it.”

Chris Ingram, Tauranga.