Despite being quite obvious, many of us may have heard the rumor circulating that cocaine can kill coronavirus. It almost reaches a surreal situation, but the French government stated that cocaine can NOT kill the coronavirus strain.
Although it looked more like a meme than a real thing, with the quick spread of information on the Internet, the myth grew exponentially in a few hours.
‘No, cocaine does NOT protect against COVID-19. It is an addictive drug that causes serious side effects and is harmful to people’s health.’
French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
World Health Organization warned that the life-threatening coronavirus is now spreading between humans in nearly thirty European countries. Only in Europe, there are more than 12,000 cases and 400 deaths. And the numbers keep growing…
The French government is not the only official body to debunk myths surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, which began in China in December.
At this point, there are many conspiracies regarding this coronavirus outbreak. You can read some of them in this article. France recorded a 70% rise in cases overnight, with more than 1,200 patients now known to have caught the deadly infection.
Berlin and Madrid are increasing precautionary measures to avoid the virus spread. Germany and Spain also saw huge spikes in the number of infected patients, while the UK’s toll has risen eight-fold in the space of a week. Austria currently has 99 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
Only a few countries are clean of COVID-19 at this point. Conspiracies apart, here are some scientific divulgation regarding myths and tips about Coronavirus.
The 5G network did not cause the virus
In recent days, new conspiracy theories have circulated on social media claiming that 5G ’causes coronavirus’ by ‘sucking the oxygen out of your lungs’.
It is possible that there may be a small increase in overall exposure to radio waves when 5G is added to an existing network or in a new area. However, the overall exposure is expected to remain low relative to guidelines and, as such, there should be no consequences for public health.’
Public Health England
The virus is not a lab experiment
Another popular conspiracy theory is that the virus is man-made. In addition to that, it theoretically was deliberately released by the Chinese or American government.
However, there is absolutely no evidence to back up either assertion.
A mask will not protect you against the virus
Contrary to popular opinion, wearing a mask if you’re not sick won’t help you.
Face masks at many retailers in Britain and other countries have sold out entirely as people seek to protect themselves against the virus.
There is ‘very little evidence’ that they can benefit the wider public. ‘Facemasks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly, disposed of safely and used in combination with good universal hygiene behaviour in order for them to be effective
Public Health England
Letters or packages from China cannot carry the virus
Analysis shows coronaviruses do not survive very long on objects – especially flying between countries. As the world first faced the early days of the outbreak, people began to question exactly how COVID-19 spreads and if it can arrive by mail. It is safe to receive packages from China, the WHO said.
Experts added that the virus cannot survive for long outside of the human body and so would not be able to survive a trip through the postal network.
Ultraviolet lamps cannot sterilize the skin
Ultraviolet lamps, which pump UV rays into the skin, will not sterilize the skin. They could, however, cause skin irritation.
Eating garlic is not protective
Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus. This is only fake news that is spreading quickly on social media.
Sesame oil doesn’t block coronavirus from entering the body
Sesame oil is a staple in Asian cooking—but it’s really just that. It does not prevent the virus from entering your body.
This is because transmission is believed to occur when an infected person sneezes, and droplets land in a person’s mouth or nose, or they inhale it from the air.
Close contact with someone infected also raises the risk. According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, spread from person-to-person can happen from six feet apart.
Spraying alcohol or chlorine over your body will not get rid of the virus
Once COVID-19 is in your system, spraying substances like alcohol and chlorine on the skin will not be of any use. They should not be used on the skin, as this can be dangerous. It is also not recommended to sniff it.
Thermal scanners won’t always detect infected people
Airports and railway stations are using thermal scanners. They can detect people with a fever – a temperature higher than normal. ‘However, they cannot detect people who are infected, but are not yet sick with fever,’ the WHO said.
Pets can’t get ill with coronavirus
COVID-19 is understood to have transferred to humans from an animal at a food market in Wuhan. However, at present, there is no evidence that pets can be infected by coronavirus.
Vaccines against pneumonia won’t protect against COVID-19
Vaccines for COVID-19 are still in the making and are unlikely to be finished in time to curb the current outbreak. Jabs for pneumonia will not work. These include the pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine.
Saline nose spray won’t protect you
There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus, the WHO said.
In addition, there is nothing supporting the method against other respiratory infections, including the new COVID-19.
Young people can also get COVID-19
Young people are also at risk of COVID-19, despite patterns showing the elderly suffer more the spread of this terrible virus.
WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.
Antibiotics will not treat COVID-19
COVID-19 is a virus and, therefore, antibiotics will not serve as a means of prevention or treatment. Antibiotics only work against bacterial infections. Some specific treatments are under investigation and will be tested through clinical trials.
Hand dryers will not kill the coronavirus
Hand dryers alone cannot kill coronavirus bacteria. ‘To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water,’ the WHO said.
Please, keep your government health recommendations in mind, wash your hands, and let’s beat this virus together.
