Health : what are the myths to know about coronavirus

The COVID-19 pandemic, now known as SARS-CoV-2, started in the city of Wuhan in China and has spread to all continents of the world. The World Health Organization officially changed its classification from “global public health emergency” to “pandemic” on March 11.

Today, the new coronavirus or “severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” has caused more than 340,000 people infected worldwide and 14,762 deaths. As we now know, the COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in all areas, including areas with a hot and humid climate. Regardless of the climate, measures should be taken in the place where you live if there have been cases of the coronavirus. The best way to protect yourself from the COVID-19 pandemic is by washing your hands frequently. By washing your hands, you eliminate the viruses that may be on your hands and avoid the infection that can occur if you touch your face, mouth, or nose.

But with all the information on the coronavirus circulating freely on the internet and in the press, it is important to know what is spawning and what is false to be able to protect yourself and your family. In this article we will dissect the most common myths about the COVID-19 pandemic found on the internet and in social media.

The COVID-19 pandemic is now spread on all continents in the world

False: Cold climate and snow can kill the virus

There is no reason to believe that the cold can kill the new coronavirus or other viruses. Normal body temperature is between 36.5 and 37 degrees, regardless of external temperature or cold weather. The most effective way to protect yourself from coronavirus is by washing your hands with soap and water.

False: taking a hot bath can protect against coronavirus

Taking a warm bath cannot protect against coronavirus. Normal body temperature stays between 36.5 and 37 degrees, regardless of the temperature of the water you use to shower. In reality, too hot water can even be harmful and burn us. Hand washing is still the most effective way to protect yourself from the COVID-19 pandemic.

False: Spraying chlorine or alcohol on the skin kills viruses in the body

Spraying alcohol or chlorine on the skin can do damage, especially if it gets into the eyes or mouth. While these chemicals can be used to disinfect surfaces, they should never be used on the skin. They cannot kill viruses inside the body.

What are the myths about the coronavirus that you can meet on the internet?

False: Only people over 60 and children are at risk

SARS-CoV-2, like other viruses, can infect people of all ages. However, the elderly and individuals with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or asthma are more likely to be severely affected.

False: Children cannot get coronavirus

All age groups can be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most cases at the moment are adults, but children are not immune. In reality, preliminary evidence shows that children are just as likely to be infected as adults, but their symptoms tend to remain less severe.

False: COVID-19 is just a flu

SARS-CoV-2 causes illnesses that actually have symptoms like seasonal flu. These symptoms are aches in the body, fever and coughing. The flu and the coronavirus can actually be mild, severe, or in some cases – fatal. Both can also lead to the development of pneumonia.

However, the general profile of COVID-19 is more serious than that of influenza. Estimates vary but its mortality rate is between 1 and 3 percent. Scientists are still working to determine the exact mortality from the coronavirus, but in any case, it remains higher than that of the seasonal flu.

False: All COVID-19 patients will die

This statement is not true. As we have already mentioned, coronavirus is only fatal for a small percentage of people. In a recent report, the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that 80.9 percent of the cases were mild. Other sources have also reported that about 80 percent of people will have a relatively mild form of the disease and will not need special treatment or be hospitalized. Mild symptoms may include fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue, or shortness of breath.

Wearing a mask is only necessary if you are a doctor or sick person

False: dogs and cats spread the coronavirus

So far, there is very little evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can infect dogs and cats. However, in Hong Kong, a Pomeranian whose owner was sick with COVID-19 was infected. The dog showed no symptoms. Scientists are debating the importance of this case for the epidemic. Professor Jonathan Ball says: propos We have to make the difference between the real infection and just the presence of the virus. I still think it is questionable how relevant this case is to the human epidemic, as most of the epidemic is by person-to-person transmission. ” And he continues: ‘We must find more information, but we must not panic. I doubt that the coronavirus can spread to another dog or to a human because of the very small amount of the virus. The real driver of the epidemic is humans. “

False: masks protect against the virus

Doctors and people who work in hospitals use professional masks to protect themselves from the virus. However, disposable masks do not offer such protection. Since these masks do not fit the face perfectly, droplets can still enter the mouth and nose. Also, tiny virus particles can penetrate directly through the mask. But if you’re ever sick, wearing a mask can help protect others from the disease.

There is very little evidence that wearing a mask protects the wearer from infection. On top of that, wearing a mask gives us a false sense of self-confidence and can lead to ignorance of other practices to protect ourselves. It is still recommended for people caring for someone sick to wear a mask. In this case, wearing a mask is effective only if the individual regularly cleans his hands with soap and water or cleans them with disinfectant.

Staying home as much as possible is one way to reduce the spread of the virus.

False: Hand dryers kill coronavirus

Hand dryers cannot kill coronavirus. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus is to wash your hands with soap and water.

False: SARS-CoV-2 is just a mutated form of the common cold

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, all of which have spiny proteins on their surfaces. Some of these viruses use humans as their primary hosts and cause common colds. Other coronaviruses such as COVID-19 first infect animals. MERS and SARS start in animals but then move on to humans.

False: You have to spend at least 10 minutes with someone sick to catch the virus

The longer you stay with someone, the more you can catch the virus, but you can still catch it in less than 10 minutes.

False: Rinsing the nose with saline protects against coronavirus

There is no evidence that rinsing the nose with saline can protect against respiratory infections. Some scientific research suggests that this technique can reduce the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections, but scientists have not found this to reduce the risk of infection.

There is no real evidence that pets can spread COVId-19

False: You can protect yourself from the COVID-19 pandemic by gargling with bleach

There are no circumstances under which gargling with bleach can be good for your health. Bleach is corrosive and can cause very serious health problems.

False: Antibiotics kill coronavirus

Antibiotics only kill bacteria. Antibiotics cannot kill viruses.

False: Thermal scanners can diagnose coronavirus

Thermal scanners can detect if you have a fever. However, other conditions, such as seasonal flu, can also cause fever. In addition to this, symptoms of COVID-19 can appear between 2 and 10 days after infection, which means that someone who is infected with the virus may have normal body temperature a few days before the fever start.

False: Garlic protects against coronavirus

Some scientific studies suggest that garlic may decrease the growth of certain species of bacteria. COVID-19 is caused by a virus and there is no evidence that garlic can protect against this virus.

False: Parcels from China can spread coronavirus

Based on previous scientific research on similar viruses including those that cause SARS and MERS and which are similar to SARS-CoV-2, scientists believe that the virus cannot survive on letters or packets for a long period of time. of time. Due to the low survivability of this coronavirus on surfaces, there is a very small risk of spreading the virus from packages that originate in China and are transported for days at room temperature.

Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to avoid coronavirus

False: Home remedies can cure and protect against COVID-19

There are no home remedies that can protect against COVID-19, including vitamin C, essential oils, silver colloid, sesame oil, garlic, and water every 15 minutes. . The best approach will be to adopt a good hand washing regimen and avoid the spaces where it can have sick people.

False: Coronavirus is the deadliest virus humanity has ever known

Even if SARS-CoV-2 appears to be more serious than influenza, it is not the most deadly virus that humanity can meet. Other viruses, such as Ebola, have much higher death rates.

False: Flu and pneumonia vaccines protect against COVID-19

As SARS-CoV-2 is different from other viruses, there is no vaccine that can protect against it yet.

False: Coronavirus comes from a laboratory in China

Despite the rumors that can be read on the internet, there is no evidence that this may be true. Some scientists believe that the coronavirus can be jumped from pangolins to humans. Others believe that it can be passed to men from bats, as in the case of SARS.

There is no vaccine against the coronavirus at the moment

False: The COVID-19 pandemic started because some people eat bat soup

Even though scientists all agree that the virus comes from animals, there is no evidence that it came from soup.

False: Coronavirus can be transmitted from mosquito bites

So far there is no evidence or information to suggest that the coronavirus can be transmitted by mosquitoes. Coronavirus is a respiratory virus that is usually spread from droplets of an infected person who coughs, or from droplets of saliva, or from the nose.

False: If you are sick with coronavirus, you will know right away

Unfortunately, we cannot know. COVID-19 can have many symptoms, many of which also appear in other conditions like the flu, respiratory illnesses and colds. Specifically, common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Rarely, symptoms may also be dizziness, nausea, vomiting and a runny nose. In severe cases, the disease may progress to serious pneumonia, but at the onset of infection there may be no symptoms.

If you’re outside, cleaning your hands with a disinfectant is a good option too

What can we do ?

Experts and doctors recommend making these simple steps to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic:

-Avoid contact with people who have symptoms and who seem sick

-Try not to touch your eyes, nose, mouth and face in general

-Stay at home as much as possible and avoid going out, especially if you are sick

-If you sneeze, do it in a tissue that you will then throw in the trash

-If you don’t have a tissue on hand, sneeze into your elbow

-Use sprays and wipes to disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched frequently

-Wash your hands with soap regularly for at least 20 seconds

Unless you are not a doctor or sick, it is not recommended to wear a mask. The above measures may seem simple, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, these are the best ways to stay healthy.