Coronavirus (also known as Coronavirus Disease 2019, or COVID-19) is a respiratory illness originating in Wuhan, China, which has now spread globally and affected thousands. With the coronavirus infection reaching pandemic levels, there is a lot of information out there about the virus itself – some myths, some truths. As the panic around the coronavirus grows, so does the level of misinformation, and thus, here are some of the myths about the coronavirus, debunked and explained.
The myth derives from the logic that since the coronavirus is like the flu, it will dissipate during the warmer months and make a resurgence in the fall. With the common flu, the humidity of warmer weather in spring means the virus can no longer survive in droplets – meaning it quickly dies down in the warmer months and resurges as the weather gets colder again.
As optimistic as this myth sounds, most experts think it is a false assumption. Patterns from previous pandemic viruses seem to show that although the season may slightly impact transmission rates, generally speaking, the pandemic will continue as is during the summer. Plus, the coronavirus still needs to be studied deeply to understand better the kind of patterns it will show in different seasons. Researchers in the United States studying COVID-19 found that it will not die down exclusively due to changes in weather, although the paper is yet to be peer-reviewed.
It is therefore unreasonable to rely on the change in weather to take care of the virus. It is essential for people all around the world, regardless of the current climate of the region, to take necessary precautions against the coronavirus.
In Pakistan, where the infamous dengue virus has severely impacted our healthcare in the last few years, it makes sense that people will worry whether the presence of mosquitos is a sure-fire sign that they will contract the coronavirus. The reasoning behind this worry is that since the mosquitos go from person to person and bite them, they may end up carrying the virus to the next person and in turn, infect them.
The crucial problem with this myth is the fact that the coronavirus is not a blood-borne illness – it is spread through inhalation, through saliva, nose fluids, and through coughs and sneezes from someone who is already infected.
The AMCSA, American Mosquito Control Association points out that for a virus to be able to transmit through a carrier such as mosquitos, it needs to be able to replicate and survive in the mosquito’s body. Therefore, as this virus cannot survive in mosquitos, it cannot spread through the mosquito bite as well. However, since mosquito bites can cause many other problems, it is best to use preventative measures. The best way of preventing coronavirus is through frequent hand cleaning and distancing from potentially infected people.
If you’ve travelled recently (hopefully just as an emergency measure), you may have seen people at airports holding up a device which ‘scans’ your body temperature. These are highly sensitive thermometers that can help detect a change in temperature and, for example, pick up if a passenger has a fever. Are these adequate replacements for a coronavirus test?
The simple way to answer this question is, this is not the case. Although fever is an acute symptom of the coronavirus is that the infected person may have an illness, in some cases, patients may be asymptomatic – meaning they do not show signs at all. These people may not be able to identify that they have the virus and get tested or self-isolate. This worry is precisely why thermal scanning tests, while useful in specific capacities, are not a complete answer to the corona crises.
The solution to this problem being suggested by experts currently is a phenomenon known as social distancing. In essence, people of all ages, genders, and all compounding risk levels, are being asked to do the responsible thing and stay indoors and limit interactions. As a result, there are fewer chances for transmission to happen, and so the people at high risk can be kept safe even if someone is asymptomatic and does not realize they have the virus.
Despite the boomer remover memes making a mark on Twitter and other social networking sites, corona does not just selectively target older people. It is vital to understand precisely how coronavirus works: When coronavirus enters your body, it starts attacking cells and causing them to create more viruses – eventually the cells burst, and the newly formed viruses spread out to other cells in order to infect and replicate in the same way as before. This time of infection and replication is called the incubation period. In this time, the virus incubates in a large number of cells and eventually grows to a considerable amount. It then proceeds to cause symptoms and can be mild or severe in infection type.
What is important to note before we break this myth down is that for coronavirus to attack your body cells at a high number, your immune system will have to be compromised. Often, older people do not have robust immune systems, which places them at a higher risk of developing the infection. However, this does not mean any young people are resistant; a risk assessment for the virus compounds all of your underlying conditions and lifestyle choices that would impact your immune system. For example, if you are a young, healthy person, but are also a heavy smoker, you may be at risk.
In the rise of the coronavirus infections, many people have been urging others around them to consume foods with healing and boosting properties, like garlic to prevent infection. While garlic has powerful antimicrobial properties, and it is a recommended part of healthy diets, there is no evidence that links garlic directly towards the prevention of coronavirus. Similarly, it has been suggested that gargles with saline solution or placing it in your nose can prevent the spread of coronavirus. Such claims of healing properties and outright prevention against coronavirus or other viral infections are not backed by any evidence.
While none of these home remedies are explicitly dangerous or harmful to use if you feel like they’re keeping you safe, it is important to remember that they should not be considered exchangeable with sound, evidence-based medical advice. It is, however, dangerous that a lot of these remedies are shared on spaces such as WhatsApp groups with little to no evidence, meaning they may spread misinformation and place people at risk.
Experts recommend that the best possible way of preventing the spread of coronavirus is to wash hands regularly, practice social distancing where possible, and to make healthy lifestyle choices that minimize your risk.
The reason why so many myths and disputable ‘facts’ are coming out about this particular virus is that people are scared and worried. In the absence of answers, perhaps some solutions are being manufactured and created. Thankfully, websites like the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control have released in-depth myth-challenging resources that can help counter the rumours and give space to facts backed by evidence.
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