{"id":5717,"date":"2020-03-19T11:47:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-19T15:47:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/?p=5717"},"modified":"2020-03-19T11:47:21","modified_gmt":"2020-03-19T15:47:21","slug":"coronavirus-myths-and-facts-you-need-to-pay-attention-to-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/19\/coronavirus-myths-and-facts-you-need-to-pay-attention-to-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Coronavirus Myths And Facts You Need To Pay Attention To Right Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

(NEW YORK POST)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 In times of crisis, bad information can spread on social media like a wildfire.<\/p>\n

The coronavirus\u2019 spread is in full force in the US and around the world, with cases growing by the thousands each day. And with the frightening reality that 86% of those with the virus do not know that they are infected, many are turning to whatever measures they can to stop the pandemic from hitting themselves and their loved ones.<\/p>\n

Although some have the best of intentions in combating the spread, others just want to sell you snake oil.<\/p>\n

Here we\u2019ve rounded up the many myths that experts wish you\u2019d stop sharing about the coronavirus, as well as some truths.<\/p>\n

Claim: Saltwater can \u201cflush out\u201d the virus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cSaltwater may make your sore throat feel better, but it won\u2019t do anything to the virus,\u201d Adam Berman, an ER doctor at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, tells The Post.<\/p>\n

Claim: Ozone therapy cures the coronavirus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

The non-FDA-approved germicide, which uses the main component in smog to kill disease, is touted as a cheap cure for viruses including, more recently, the coronavirus. But there\u2019s no such thing as a free lunch. Ozone purifiers create serious health risks \u2014 including lung and cellular damage \u2014 for humans and animals and have been banned in places such as California for this reason.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is one of the products where the risks heavily outweigh the benefits,\u201d Jason Chan, an assistant professor in science education at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, told Quartz.<\/p>\n

Claim: People with certain blood types may be more susceptible to the disease<\/strong>
\nMaybe true<\/strong><\/p>\n

Researchers in China have found that people with blood type A have been both infected and killed by COVID-19 at \u201csignificantly\u201d higher rates in Wuhan and Shenzhen, while people with type O had fewer infections and deaths. Still, researchers say there\u2019s no need for people with type A to worry or for those with type O to rejoice. There\u2019s much more research needed with a larger sample size before scientists can come to any definitive conclusions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are type A, there is no need to panic. It does not mean you will be infected [with a] 100 percent [likelihood],\u201d Gao Ying Dai, a researcher in the city of Tianjin, told the South China Morning Post. \u201cIf you are type O, it does not mean you are absolutely safe, either. You still need to wash your hands and follow the guidelines issued by authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Claim: The coronavirus will go away in the summer when it\u2019s warm<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPrevious pandemics didn\u2019t follow weather patterns,\u201d wrote Faheem Younus, MD, chief of infectious diseases at the University of Maryland. \u201cPlus as we enter summer, there will be winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Virus is global.\u201d Officials say we could still be seeing the effects of this illness through July.<\/p>\n

Claim: Holding your breath can prevent you from getting it<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe virus can still get into your respiratory tract even if you hold your breath,\u201d Berman says. \u201cCoronavirus gets into your body via droplets of humid air containing the virus as they exit other people\u2019s lungs. The droplets are suspended in air for some time and can still enter your nose or mouth even if you are holding your breath.\u201d So cover your mouth when you cough, even if you\u2019re outside, he says.<\/p>\n

Claim: The coronavirus lives in the throat. Drink lots of water so the virus is pushed into the stomach where the acid will kill it<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

By now, we\u2019ve all seen the viral post shared unwittingly by celebs and well-meaning parents that claims drinking water can push the virus into your stomach, where it will die. Unfortunately, it\u2019s just not true.<\/p>\n

\u201cVirus may gain entry via throat but it penetrates into the host cells,\u201d Younus wrote in a viral Twitter thread. \u201cYou can\u2019t wash it away. Excessive water will make you run to the toilet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Claim: You can be infected for two weeks and not have symptoms<\/strong>
\nTrue<\/strong><\/p>\n

The incubation period for the coronavirus is two to 14 days after exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is why social distancing is so important to prevent the spread of the illness.<\/p>\n

Claim: Sucking in hot air in a sauna or with a blow dryer can kill the virus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is based on the idea that the virus lives in the throat, and it\u2019s definitely not true, Berman says. \u201cHot air in a sauna or from a blow dryer can\u2019t reach into cells where viruses sit and cause damage,\u201d he says. \u201cPlus, hot air or steam from a sauna can seriously burn you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Claim: The new coronavirus is an airborne disease<\/strong>
\nMaybe true<\/strong><\/p>\n

A new study by researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has found that the new coronavirus can live in the air for several hours, although the scientists stress that this doesn\u2019t yet prove that anyone has contracted the illness from breathing air. Still, the new finding has the World Health Organization considering new \u201cairborne precautions\u201d for medical workers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you do an aerosol-generating procedure like in a medical care facility, you have the possibility to what we call aerosolize these particles, which means they can stay in the air a little bit longer,\u201d Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO\u2019s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said in a statement Monday.<\/p>\n

Now, more than ever, people should be mindful of coughing into their elbow, even when outside, experts say.<\/p>\n

Claim: Vitamins will give you immunity from the virus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although there is a China-based clinical trial in the works to test the anti-viral impact of vitamin C, gobbling vitamin supplements won\u2019t be the key to keeping the coronavirus at bay, Dr. Purvi Parikh, an immunologist with NYU Langone, recently told The Post.<\/p>\n

Vitamin C therapy, she says, \u201cdoesn\u2019t have any strong immune-supportive evidence,\u201d according to current studies. She acknowledges that vitamin D \u201chas been linked to good immune health,\u201d along with heart, lung and metabolic health, but urged those who are concerned about their nutrient levels to consult their primary care doctor first.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to go and take megadoses of anything,\u201d she says, adding that \u201ca well-balanced diet\u201d should be enough to maintain your nutrient quota.<\/p>\n

Claim: The virus only affects old people<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the WHO, people of all ages can be infected with COVID-19, although seniors and those with underlying conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease, appear to be more affected. Still, people young and old have died from the disease.<\/p>\n

Claim: The thermal scanners will catch everyone with the coronavirus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thermal scanners at airports are effective at detecting people with a fever, WHO notes, but not everyone infected will have a fever. \u201cIt takes two to 10 days to develop a fever after being infected,\u201d the organization said on its website.<\/p>\n

Claim: Scientists have developed a rapid test that can detect the virus in a half-hour<\/strong>
\nTrue<\/strong><\/p>\n

University of Oxford scientists have developed a rapid test for the new coronavirus capable of showing results in just 30 minutes. Although the test has so far only been used in China, the university said in a statement that an \u201cintegrated device \u2026 [for] clinics, airports or even for home use\u201d is on the way. Researchers also say the test is sensitive enough to detect cases in the early stages of infection.<\/p>\n

Claim: You can get COVID-19 from your pet<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first dog reported to have been infected with COVID-19 \u2014 a 17-year-old Pomeranian \u2014 has now died in Hong Kong after initially recovering from the disease, according to the South China Morning Post. The dog\u2019s owner, a 60-year-old woman, also had the virus and has since recovered. But she probably gave it to her dog. It\u2019s humans who might be the culprit, Stephen Morse, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at Columbia University, told Business Insider. \u201cYou\u2019re more likely to give it to your pet than the other way around,\u201d he said. Pomeranians, for what it\u2019s worth, have an average life expectancy of 12 to 16 years.<\/p>\n

Claim: Hand-washing is better than hand sanitizer<\/strong>
\nTrue<\/strong><\/p>\n

The CDC recommends washing your hands rather than using hand sanitizer whenever possible because it also removes dirt and grime that pathogens can cling to. If soap and water are not an option, a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol should do the trick. Check out all the approved cleaners here.<\/p>\n

Claim: The virus came from people drinking bat soup<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

While some health experts are saying the novel coronavirus may have originated in bats, it is still unclear how it spread to humans. Rumors of it spreading from \u201cbat soup\u201d are simply false, Syra Madad, senior director of New York City Health + Hospitals\u2019 special pathogens program, told Business Insider.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo there\u2019s a couple of different speculations out there, but not from somebody obviously consuming bat soup,\u201d Madad said. \u201cBut what we do know, obviously, is that once you actually get the coronavirus disease, the form of transmission is obviously through droplet spread.\u201d<\/p>\n

Claim: Drinking a bleach solution will cure the virus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dangerous conspiracy theory groups have been touting drinking bleach-like concoctions such as the \u201cMiracle Mineral Solution,\u201d something that the real experts, such as the Food and Drug Administration, warn is not only false but incredibly dangerous. \u201cConsumers should not use these products, and parents should not give these products to their children for any reason,\u201d the FDA says on its website.<\/p>\n

Claim: If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds without discomfort, you\u2019re fine!<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

A viral post claiming that a good \u201ctest\u201d was to hold your breath for 10 seconds is also wrong, of course. \u201cMost young patients with coronavirus will be able to hold their breaths for much longer than 10 seconds,\u201d Younus wrote on Twitter. \u201cAnd many elderly without the virus won\u2019t be able to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Claim: Wearing gloves can decrease your risk of catching the coronavirus<\/strong>
\nFalse<\/strong><\/p>\n

When worn properly in a medical setting, gloves can be an invaluable tool for preventing illness. While running errands to the grocery store and mindlessly taking them off and on, you aren\u2019t doing yourself any favors. \u201cWhile gloves can protect your hands from coming into contact with these droplets, they will still remain on the surface of the gloves and may even last there for longer if they are not washed frequently, leading to an increased risk of catching the virus by touching your face or food with your gloves, as well as the risk of passing it on to others,\u201d Dr. Simran Deo, a London-based general practitioner, told The Mirror.<\/p>\n

\u201cGloves should not be treated as an alternative to good hygiene,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Additional reporting from Hannah Sparks<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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