Coronavirus Myths Explored 2020-Novel Corona virus (COVID-19)
As coronavirus
continues to make the news, a host of untruths has surrounded the topic. In
this Special Feature, we address some of these myths and conspiracy theories.
The novel
coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, has spread from Wuhan, China, to every
continent on Earth except Antarctica.
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed
their classification of the situation from a public health emergency of
international concern to a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
The virus has
been responsible for millions of infections globally, causing hundreds of
thousands of deaths. The United States is the most affected country.
As ever, when the
word “pandemic” starts appearing in headlines, people become fearful — and with
fear comes misinformation and rumors.
Here, we will
dissect some of the most common myths that are currently circulating on social
media and beyond.
1. Spraying
chlorine or alcohol on the skin kills viruses in the body
Applying alcohol
or chlorine to the body can cause harm, especially if it enters the eyes or
mouth. Although people can use these chemicals to disinfect surfaces, they
should not use them on the skin.
These products
cannot kill viruses within the body.
2. Only older
adults and young people are at risk
SARS-CoV-2, like
other coronaviruses, can infect people of any age. However, older adults and
individuals with preexisting health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, are
more likely to become severely ill.
3. Children
cannot get COVID-19
All age groups
can contract SARS-CoV-2.
So far, most
cases have been in adults, but children are not immune. In fact, preliminary evidence
suggests that children are just as likely to contract it, but their symptoms
tend to be less severe.
On May 15, 2020,
the WHO released a commentary about an inflammatory
condition, affecting children and adolescents, that may have links with
COVID-19.
The condition,
called multisystem inflammatory condition, has features similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome.
Scientists
currently know little about this condition, but research from May 2020 suggests that it is rare,
“probably affecting no more than 1 in 1,000 children exposed to SARS-CoV-2.”
4. COVID-19 is
just like the flu
SARS-CoV-2 causes
an illness that does have flu-like symptoms, such as aches, a fever, and a
cough. Similarly, both COVID-19 and the flu can be mild, severe, or, in rare
cases, fatal. Both can also lead to pneumonia.
However, the
overall profile of COVID-19 is more serious. Different countries have reported
different mortality rates, and the case fatality rate in the U.S. appears to be
around 6%.
Although
scientists are still working out the exact mortality rate, it is likely to be
many times higher than that of seasonal flu.
5. Everyone with
COVID-19 dies
This statement is
untrue. As we mentioned above, COVID-19 is only fatal for a small percentage of
people.
In a recent
report, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention concluded
that 80.9% of COVID-19 cases were mild.
The WHO also report
that around 80% of people will experience a relatively mild form
of the disease, which will not require specialist treatment in a hospital.
Mild symptoms may
include a fever, a cough, a sore throat, tiredness, and shortness of breath.
6. Cats and dogs
spread coronavirus
Currently, there
is little evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can infect cats and dogs.
However, in Hong Kong, a Pomeranian whose owner had COVID-19 also contracted
the virus. The dog did not display any symptoms.
Scientists are
debating the importance of this case to the outbreak. For instance, Prof.
Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecular virology at the University of
Nottingham in the United Kingdom, says:
“We have to
differentiate between real infection and just detecting the presence of the
virus. I still think it’s questionable how relevant it is to the human
outbreak, as most of the global outbreak has been driven by human-to-human
transmission.”
He continues: “We
need to find out more, but we don’t need to panic — I doubt it could spread to
another dog or a human because of the low levels of the virus. The real driver
of the outbreak is humans.”
7. Face masks
always protect against coronavirus
Healthcare
workers use professional face masks, which fit tightly around the face, to
protect themselves from infection.
Disposable and
cloth masks can protect against droplets, but neither can protect against
aerosolized particles.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend
that all people wear cloth face masks in public places where it is difficult to
maintain a 6-foot (2-meter) distance from others. This will help slow the spread
of the virus from asymptomatic people and those who do not know that they have
contracted it.
When wearing a
mask, it is essential to continue with other precautions, such as not touching
the face and practicing physical distancing.
Instructions for making
masks at home are available here.
Surgical masks
and N95 respirators provide greater protection, but these are reserved for healthcare
workers only.
8. Hand dryers
kill coronavirus
Hand dryers do not kill coronavirus. The best way to protect
oneself and others from the virus is to wash the hands with soap and water or
an alcohol-based hand rub.
9. SARS-CoV-2 is
just a mutated form of the common cold
Coronaviruses are
a large family of viruses, all of which have spiky proteins on their surface.
Some of these viruses use humans as their primary
host and cause the common cold. Other coronaviruses, such as
SARS-CoV-2, primarily infect animals.
Both Middle East
respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) began
in animals and passed into humans.
10. You have to
be with someone for 10 minutes to catch the virus
The longer
someone is with a person who has it, the more likely they are to catch the
virus themselves, but it is still possible to catch it in under 10 minutes.
11. Rinsing the
nose with saline protects against coronavirus
There is no
evidence to suggest that 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 found that it can reduce the risk of infection.
12. You can
protect yourself by gargling bleach
People should
never put bleach in their mouths. There are no circumstances in which gargling
bleach might benefit a person’s health. Bleach is corrosive and can cause serious damage.
13. Antibiotics
kill coronavirus
Antibiotics only
kill bacteria. They do not kill viruses.
14. Thermal
scanners can diagnose coronavirus
Thermal scanners
can detect whether or not someone has a fever. However, other conditions, such
as seasonal flu, can also produce a fever.
In addition,
symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2–14 days after infection, which means that someone
who has the virus could have a normal temperature for a few days before a fever
begins.
15. Garlic
protects against coronaviruses
Some research
suggests that garlic might slow
the growth of some species of bacteria. However, COVID-19 is caused by
a virus, and there is no evidence to suggest that garlic can protect people
against COVID-19.
16. Parcels from
China can spread coronavirus
From previous
research into similar coronaviruses, including those that cause SARS and MERS
and are similar to SARS-CoV-2, scientists believe that the virus cannot survive
on letters or packages for an extended period of time.
The CDC explain
that “because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, 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
can cure and protect against COVID-19
No home remedies
can protect against COVID-19. This goes for vitamin C, essential oils, silver
colloid, sesame oil, garlic, fish tank cleaner, burning sage, and sipping water
every 15 minutes.
The best approach
is to adopt a good hand-washing regimen and to avoid places where there may be
sick people.
18. You can catch
coronavirus from eating Chinese food in the US
No, you cannot.
19. You can catch
coronavirus from urine and feces
It is unlikely that this is true, but the jury is currently
out. According to Prof. John Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene &
Tropical Medicine in the U.K.:
“It isn’t a very
pleasant thought, but every time you swallow, you swallow mucus from your upper
respiratory tract. In fact, this is an important defensive mechanism. This
sweeps viruses and bacteria down into our gut where they are denatured in the
acid conditions of our stomachs.”
“With modern,
very highly sensitive detection mechanisms, we can detect these viruses in
feces. Usually, viruses we can detect in this way are not infectious to others,
as they have been destroyed by our guts.”
However, it is
worth noting that some research concludes
that viruses similar to SARS-CoV-2 might persist in feces. A recent research
letter in JAMA also
concludes that SARS-CoV-2 is present in feces.
20. The virus
will die off when temperatures rise in the spring
Some viruses,
such as cold and flu viruses, do spread more easily in the colder months, but
that does not mean that they stop entirely when conditions become milder.
As it stands,
scientists do not know how temperature changes will influence the
behavior of SARS-CoV-2.
21. Coronavirus
is the deadliest virus known to humans
Although
SARS-CoV-2 does appear to be more serious than influenza, it is not the
deadliest virus that people have faced. Others, such as Ebola, have higher
mortality rates.
22. Flu and
pneumonia vaccines can protect against COVID-19
As SARS-CoV-2 is
different than other viruses, no existing vaccines protect against infection.
23. The virus
originated in a laboratory in China
Despite internet
rumors, there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. In fact, a recentstudy demonstrates that the virus is a natural product of evolution.
Some researchers
believe that SARS-CoV-2 may have jumped from pangolins to
humans. Others think that it might have passed to us from bats, which was the case for SARS.
24. The outbreak
began because people ate bat soup
Although
scientists are confident that the virus started in animals, there is no
evidence to suggest that it came from soup of any kind.
25. 5G helps
SARS-CoV-2 spread
As the world
becomes more connected, some regions are rolling out 5G mobile technology. A
raft of conspiracy theories appear wherever this technology sets foot.
One of the most
recent theories to emerge is that 5G is responsible for the swift spread of
SARS-CoV-2 across the globe.
Some people claim
that 5G helps viruses communicate, often citing a paper from 2011. In this study, the authors conclude
that bacteria can communicate via electromagnetic signals. However, experts
dispute this theory, and SARS-CoV-2 is a virus, not a bacterium.
Wuhan was one of
the first cities to trial 5G in China, which helps explain the origin of some
of these theories. However, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou also rolled out 5G
at a similar time.
It is also worth
noting that COVID-19 has significantly impacted countries with very little 5G
coverage, such as Iran.
26. Drinking
alcohol reduces the risk of infection
In response to a
series of myths surrounding alcohol and COVID-19, the WHO released a statement. In it, they explain that
although alcohol can disinfect the skin, it does not work the same way inside
the body.
They explain that
“consuming any alcohol poses health risks, but consuming high-strength ethyl
alcohol (ethanol), particularly if it has been adulterated with methanol, can
result in severe health consequences, including death.”
In a fact sheet on the subject, they write that, “Alcohol
use, especially heavy use, weakens the immune system and thus reduces the
ability to cope with infectious diseases.”
Because alcohol
is associated with a number of diseases, it may make people more vulnerable to
COVID-19.
27. Injecting or
consuming bleach or disinfectant kills the virus
Consuming or
injecting disinfectant or bleach will not remove viruses from the body.
Dr Wayne Carter,
Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham’s school of medicine in the
U.K., writes that “[d]isinfectants and bleach are strong
oxidizing agents, useful to kill bacteria or viruses when they are deposited on
surfaces, but these agents should not be ingested or injected. These agents can
cause severe tissue burns and blood vessel damage.”
Dr. Penny Ward,
Visiting Professor in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College London,
U.K., explains, “Drinking bleach kills. Injecting bleach kills
faster.”
28. You can catch
coronavirus in swimming pools
According to
the CDC, there is no evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2
spreads between people through the water in swimming pools, hot tubs, or water
playgrounds. If these facilities disinfect their water with chlorine or
bromine, this should inactivate the virus.
That said, as
with all public areas, people can still catch the virus from others who attend
these facilities. The virus can spread through inhaling respiratory droplets in
the air and coming into contact with surfaces.
The CDC say that
people should continue to protect themselves both in and out of the water by
staying 6 feet (2 meters) away from others and wearing cloth face coverings
when not in the water.
People who
operate pools should take extra care to clean and disinfect all facilities.
In a follow up
article — 5 persistent myths about coronavirus and why they are untrue — we cover
more COVID-19 related myths, including information about the role of vitamin C,
vitamin D, and zinc.
The CDC recommend these simple measures to reduce the
spread of SARS-CoV-2:
avoiding close
contact with people who appear to be sick
trying not to
touch the eyes, nose, or mouth
staying at home
if sick
sneezing into a
tissue, then throwing it in the trash, or sneezing into the crook of the elbow
using standard
cleaning sprays and wipes to disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
washing the hands with
soap regularly, for at least 20 seconds
wearing a cloth
face covering in stores, pharmacies, and other public settings
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