Myth: Lysol spray will kill Coronavirus in midair.
FACT: It’s understandable that everyone wants to do everything they can to protect themselves, but I have to say that I am tired of walking into a room and breathing in from a cloud of Lysol Disinfectant Spray. The instructions on the can clearly state exactly which types of surfaces can be cleansed with the spray. That’s right … surfaces. Hard surfaces, soft surfaces, semi-porous surfaces … but nothing about killing anything in the air. After spraying onto your surface of choice, it is equally important to let the spray stand for the necessary amount of time to properly kill the germs. Wiping the Lysol away does not kill the germs. The amount of time you need to wait depends on the germs you are intending to kill. Most germs are killed in 2 minutes, but some require ten minutes. This means you need to spray and walk away if you want to use Lysol correctly.
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Myth: “Flattening the curve” means that we reduce the number of cases of infection and we return to normal life faster.
FACT: To flatten the curve means to slow down the pace of infections, spread the infections out over a longer time period so that hospitals are not overwhelmed.
Myth: Drinking sips of hot tea or hot water will wash Coronavirus down into your stomach and prevent you from getting the illness.
FACT: While staying well hydrated is good for your general health, there is no evidence that hydrating with hot liquids every 15 minutes will reduce risk of infection with Coronavirus or any other infectious disease.
MYTH: Warm weather will kill the virus and stop the outbreak of Coronavirus.
FACT: We do not know how warmer temperatures will affect the spread of COVID-19. It would be nice it just disappeared into the sunset after winter ends, but I would not bet on it.
Myth: Coronavirus is transmitted by drinking Corona beer.
FACT: There is no Coronavirus in Corona beer or any other beverage.
Myth: No one predicted another worldwide pandemic. No one could have seen this coming.
Myth: No one could have predicted this pandemic. No one saw this coming.
FACT: Intellectuals have been ringing alarm bells for years about how the world is not prepared for the next pandemic infection. No one talks about earthquakes as if there will never be another earthquake. No one talks about war as if there will never be another war. We watch and prepare and practice with drills for earthquakes and wars and now even active shooters. Experts will tell you that we should have been preparing for the next pandemic as well.
Myth: Cats and dogs can become infected with Coronavirus and spread the infection to humans.
FACT: Scientists and researchers do not have sufficient evidence to establish spread between humans and pets or any other animals. There are isolated reports of a single animal testing positive without exhibiting symptoms, which may simply be asymptomatic carrier state without any proof of spread of disease.
Myth: I should wear a facemask and protect myself from Coronavirus
FACT: There is no evidence that members of the general public will reduce their risk of infection by wearing a mask. In fact, most people have not been shown how to properly use or wear a mask. Instead, they provide a false sense of reassurance and also cause people to touch their face more than if they were not wearing a mask. The CDC is evaluating whether or not wearing face coverings will help keep people from spreading viral particles if they happen to be infected and not know it. It is possible that universal mask usage may be recommended if the country were to have adequate supply. Proper hand washing and avoidance of touching your face with unclean hands are still the best ways to prevent infection.
Myth: The Coronavirus can only live for a few hours on surfaces.
FACT: A recently published study reveals that the virus was found on copper surfaces 4 hours later, on cardboard 24 hours later, and on plastic and stainless-steel surfaces up to 72 hours later.
Myth: The Coronavirus is an airborne illness that can live in the air for days.
FACT: The virus spreads through small particles carried by respiratory droplets when an infected person sneezes or coughs but that spread occurs within 6 feet of that person. If you share a room with a person but remain a good distance away, you are not at any significant risk of getting the virus.
Myth: Africans and African Americans are immune to Coronavirus.
FACT: Although we are not yet seeing reports of outbreaks in Africa that are similar to the ones in Asia, Europe, and the US, there are several African American patients with Coronavirus in the US.
Myth: Children and young people are immune to the effects of Coronavirus.
FACT: Although the majority of severe cases of Coronavirus infection occur in the elderly, there are several reports of children needing ICU care after Coronavirus infection. Studies evaluating COVID-19 hospitalized patients in the US show 20% of hospitalized cases involve patients between the ages of 20 and 44. Children and young people can be severely affected by this virus.
MYTH: The ER will test me for Coronavirus if I have traveled or if I am concerned about it.
FACT: Due to the lack of adequate testing availability, recommendations from several areas of government and medical leadership are all in agreement – tests should be saved for patients needing hospitalization. It is highly unlikely that a hospital ER will use a test on someone who is destined to go back home, no matter how concerned that person may be.
Myth: As long as I wear gloves whenever I’m out, I won’t get Coronavirus
FACT: Gloves are good for protecting your hands from touching viruses and bacteria on surfaces. However, if you grab your cell phone while wearing gloves, you have just spread those germs to your phone. If you touch your face while wearing those gloves, you have just defeated the purpose of wearing the gloves. It’s important to remember that no one thing will protect you fully and that you must combine good habits to have the best protection possible.
Myth: I can protect myself from Coronavirus by gargling with bleach and water
FACT: There is no benefit to rinsing or gargling or drinking bleach in any form. Please do not expose yourself to danger by drinking bleach or any other dangerous chemicals.
Myth: I can use a blow dryer to blow hot air into my nostrils to kill germs and protect me from Coronavirus.
FACT: There is no evidence that applying hot air to the nostrils or breathing in steam provides any protection from Coronavirus or any other infection.
Myth: I should avoid Ibuprofen and other medications because that can make my infection with Coronavirus even worse.
FACT: There is no evidence that any over the counter medication like Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Acetaminophen cause worse outcomes in patients with Coronavirus. Although the Health Minister of France advised the French people to avoid using anti-inflammatory medicines such as Advil or Motrin the risks of complications are not certain. Severe cases of Coronavirus infection could indirectly lead to kidney damage and high dose use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory medicines could also cause kidney damage. In most cases, patients who are critically ill are not taking over-the-counter medication at the same time. If you have kidney damage, you should be avoiding these medicines already. Most people with Coronavirus infection will not develop kidney failure and do not need to avoid Ibuprofen and other similar medicines.