CORONAVIRUS MYTHS "BUSTED"
Myth # 1:
Are hand dryers effective in killing the new Coronavirus?
Not at all. Coronavirus is not killed by dry heat effectively. In order to prevent yourself from getting affected by it, you should clean your hands thoroughly with alcohol based hand wash or sanitizers. Once properly cleaned, you should dry your hands with dry heat or using clean towels.
Myth # 2:
Can an ultraviolet disinfection lamp kill the new Coronavirus?
UV light should never be used on skin. These are radioactive rays that can severely damage human skin. Instead of getting rid of Coronavirus, one can get signs of premature aging on skin, signs of sun damage on skin, wrinkles or even leathery skin like texture. It can even result in damage of human eye as well. So, no exposure to UV light.
Myth # 3:
How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with the new Coronavirus?
Thermal scanners or thermometers are partially effective in detecting infected people. One of the symptoms of Coronavirus is hyperthermia or fever. But it takes 2 to 10 days before people who are infected with Coronavirus to get fever. Still, hyperthermia is not the indicator of being infected with Coronavirus. That fever can be due to any other ailment as well. So we should not rely on scanning body temperature to diagnose Coronavirus.
Myth # 4:
Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new Coronavirus?
No. Spraying alcohol or chlorine on body will not kill Coronavirus germ. It is because that virus has already entered the human body, when diagnosed. Instead, spraying of these fluids on body can cause adverse effects on mucous membranes (i.e. eyes and mouth) and even damage clothes as well.
Myth # 5:
Is it safe to receive a letter or a package from China?
Yes, it is completely safe to receive any kind of package from China. Coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through respiratory droplets generated when someone sneezes or coughs i.e. through discharge of mouth or nose. Also some initial researches have shown that it can survive for few hours in open environment. So it is not harmful to receive any package from China.
Myth # 6:
Can pets at home spread the new Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)?
No such case has yet been reported where any pet gets infected with Coronavirus and becomes a carrier of disease for other humans in contact with that pet. Yet it is always safe to keep your hands washed properly while getting in touch with pet animals.
Myth # 7:
Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against the new Coronavirus?
Not really. Vaccines against Pneumonia cannot prevent one from getting infected from Coronavirus. Researches are being carried out at various levels to develop vaccine against this virus. Latest breakthrough in this regard is that Anti-viral drug Favilavir has secured approval from the National Medical Products Administration of China to treat Coronavirus Covid-19, according to media reports.
Myth # 8:
Can regularly rinsing your nose with saline help prevent infection with the new Coronavirus?
No. there is no such evidence that regular rinsing of nose from saline can help prevent getting infected by this virus.
Myth # 9:
Can eating garlic help prevent infection with the new Coronavirus?
Garli may have some halth benefits on human body but there is no such evidence that eating garlic can cure someone who is infected by or prevent someone from getting infected by Coronavirus.
Myth # 10:
Does putting on sesame oil block the new Coronavirus from entering the body?
No. There is no such evidence that sesame oil kill the new Coronavirus. Although there are some chemical disinfectants that can kill the Coronavirus on surfaces. These include bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform.
However, they have little or no impact on the virus if you put them on the skin or under your nose. It can even be dangerous to put these chemicals on your skin.
Myth # 11:
Does the new Coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?
People of all ages and gender are equally vulnerable to get infected by the Coronavirus. There is no discrimination in this regard. However, those people who are already immuno-suppressed due to any certain illness are more vulnerable in getting infected with this virus.
Myth # 12:
Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new Coronavirus?
No, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria. The new Coronavirus belongs to virus family; hence antibiotics have no effect on killing of these viruses. However, if a patient gets hospitalized, he/she may get antibiotic drugs in order to prevent one from bacterial co-infection.
Myth # 13:
Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new Coronavirus?
To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) which is approved by WHO or FDA.
However, China has recently got approval of Anti-viral drug Favilavir from the National Medical Products Administration of China to treat Coronavirus Covid-19, according to media reports. Favilavir allegedly demonstrated efficacy with minor side effects in an ongoing 70-patient clinical trial in China. Hence, the drug’s generic version received the approval. Production of the anti-viral drug was already begun, added the news agency.