Coronavirus myths explored
09 March, 2020
The novel coronavirus, now referred to as SARS-CoV-2, has spread from Wuhan, China, to every continent on the planet except Antarctica.
As we write this feature, there have been more than 92,000 confirmed conditions and over 3,100 deaths.
Seeing as ever, when the term “pandemic” starts showing up in headlines, persons become fearful, and with fear come misinformation and rumors.
In this article, we will dissect a few of the most frequent myths that are circulating on social press and beyond.
1. Spraying chlorine or alcohol on epidermis kills viruses within the body
Making use of alcohol or chlorine to your body may cause harm, particularly if it enters the eyes or mouth. Although persons may use these chemical compounds to disinfect surfaces, they should not utilize them on skin.
These products cannot kill viruses within the body.
2. Only older individuals and young people are at risk
SARS-CoV-2, like other coronaviruses, can infect people of any age. Even so, older adults or people with preexisting health conditions, such as for example diabetes or asthma, are more likely to become severely ill.
3. Kids cannot catch COVID-19
All age groups can become infected. Most circumstances, so far, have been in adults, but children aren't immune. Actually, preliminary evidence demonstrates children are simply as more likely to become contaminated, but their symptoms tend to be less severe.
4. COVID-19 is just just like the flu
SARS-CoV-19 causes illness that does, indeed, have flu-like symptoms, such as for example aches, fever, and cough. Similarly, both COVID-19 and flu could be mild, severe, or, in rare circumstances, fatal. Both can also lead to pneumonia.
However, the entire profile of COVID-19 is more serious. Estimates range, but its mortality rate appears to be between about 1% and 3%.
Although scientists will work out the exact mortality rate, chances are to be often greater than that of seasonal flu.
5. Everyone with COVID-19 dies
This statement is untrue. As we have stated above, COVID-19 is merely fatal for a small percentage of people.
In a recent article, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention figured 80.9% of COVID-19 cases were mild.
6. Dogs and cats spread coronavirus
Currently, there is little evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can infect dogs and cats. On the other hand, in Hong Kong, a Pomeranian whose owner had COVID-19 became infected. The dog did not display any symptoms.
Scientists are debating the importance of this circumstance to the epidemic. For instance, Prof. Jonathan Ball, Professor of Molecular Virology at the University of Nottingham in britain, says:
“We must differentiate between actual infection and only detecting the occurrence of the virus. I nonetheless think it’s questionable how relevant it is to the people outbreak, as almost all of the global outbreak has been influenced by human-to-human transmission.”
He continues: “We are looking for to find out more, but we don’t need to panic - I question it could spread to another dog or a individual as a result of the low degrees of the virus. The real driver of the outbreak is definitely humans.”
7. Face masks protect against coronavirus
Healthcare personnel use professional face masks, which in shape tightly around the facial skin, to safeguard them against infection. On the other hand, disposable face masks will be unlikely to supply such protection.
As these masks usually do not in shape neatly against the facial skin, droplets can still enter the oral cavity and nose. Also, very small viral contaminants can penetrate immediately through the material.
However, if someone includes a respiratory illness, wearing a mask might help protect others from becoming contaminated.
“There is very little evidence that wearing such masks protects the wearer from infection,” Dr. Ben Killingley, Consultant in Acute Drugs and Infectious Illnesses at University University London Hospital in the U.K., explains.
“Furthermore, wearing masks can provide a false good sense of reassurance and may lead to other an infection control practices being ignored, e.g., side hygiene.”
8. Hand dryers kill coronavirus
Hand dryers usually do not kill coronavirus. The easiest method to defend yourself and others from the virus is usually to wash your hands with soap and normal water or an alcohol-centered hand rub.
9. SARS-CoV-2 is merely a mutated type of the common cold
Coronaviruses are a big family of viruses, which experience spiky proteins on the surface. Many of these viruses use humans as their principal host and trigger the normal cold. Different coronaviruses, such as for example SARS-CoV-2, generally infect animals.
Both Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and serious acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) started out in animals and passed into humans.
10. You need to be with an individual for ten minutes to catch the virus
The longer someone has been an infected person, the much more likely they are to catch the virus, nonetheless it continues to be possible to catch it in under 10 minutes.
11. Rinsing the nose with saline protects against coronavirus
There is absolutely no evidence a saline nose rinse protects against respiratory infections. Some research suggests that this technique might reduce the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections, but scientists have not discovered that it can decrease the risk of infection.
12. You can protect yourself by gargling bleach
There are no circumstances where gargling bleach might benefit your wellbeing. Bleach can be corrosive and may cause serious damage.
13. Antibiotics kill coronavirus
Antibiotics only kill bacterias; they don't kill viruses.
14. Thermal scanners can diagnose coronavirus
Thermal scanners can find whether someone has a fever. However, additional conditions, such as seasonal flu, may also produce fever.
Furthermore, symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2-10 days and nights after infection, which ensures that somebody infected with the virus could have a standard temperature for a couple days and nights before a fever begins.
15. Garlic protects against coronaviruses
Some research shows that garlic might have antibiotic properties. However, there is no evidence that it could protect persons against COVID-19.
16. Parcels from China can spread coronavirus
From previous research into similar coronaviruses, including the ones that cause SARS and MERS and are similar to SARS-CoV-2, scientists believe that the virus cannot survive on letters or deals for a protracted time.
The CDC make clear that “because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on floors, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures.”
17. Home remedies could cure and protect against COVID-19
No home remedies can drive back COVID-19, including vitamin C, important oils, silver colloid, sesame oil, garlic, and sipping water every 15 minutes.
The best approach is to look at a good handwashing regimen and avoid places where there might be unwell people.
18. You can get coronavirus from ingesting Chinese foodstuff in the U.S.
No, you cannot.
19. You can capture coronavirus from urine and feces
It is unlikely that this is true. According to Prof. John Edmunds from the London University of Hygiene & Tropical Drugs in the U.K.:
“It isn’t an extremely pleasant thought, but every time you swallow, you swallow mucus from your own upper respiratory tract. In fact, this is an important defensive system. This sweeps viruses and bacteria down into our gut where they are denatured in the acid circumstances of our stomachs.”
“With modern, extremely highly sensitive detection mechanisms, we are able to discover these viruses in feces. Usually, viruses we are able to detect in this manner are not infectious to others, because they have already been destroyed by our guts.”
20. The virus will die off when temperature ranges rise in the spring
Some infections, such as for example cold and flu infections, do spread easier in the colder weeks, but that does not imply that they stop totally when circumstances become milder. Since it stands, scientists have no idea how temperature improvements will influence the patterns of SARS-CoV-2.
21. Coronavirus is the deadliest virus that you can buy
Although SARS-CoV-2 does seem to be more serious than influenza, it isn't the deadliest virus that persons have faced. Others, such as for example Ebola, have bigger mortality rates.
22. Flu and pneumonia vaccines protect against COVID-19
As SARS-CoV-2 differs than other viruses, very little existing vaccines drive back infection.
23. The virus started in a laboratory in China
Regardless of the swathes of internet rumors, there is absolutely no evidence that this is the case. Some experts assume that SARS-CoV-2 may possess jumped from pangolins to humans. Others think that it could have approved to us from bats, that was the circumstance for SARS.
24. The outbreak started out because persons ate bat soup
Although scientists are assured that the virus started in animals, there is absolutely no evidence that it came from soup of any kind.
Source: www.medicalnewstoday.com
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