There suddenly is so much information circulating about the new coronavirus that it can be hard to know what is fact or fiction.
To provide and share reliable information, Partners In Health consulted with its infectious disease experts and trusted global health resources to break down prevailing myths related to COVID-19, the disease resulting from the novel coronavirus.
The following is not an exhaustive list of all the myths out there, but it does set straight some of the misinformation that’s currently circulating among the public.
MYTH 1: People living in tropical regions don’t have to worry about catching the new coronavirus, because such viruses don’t survive in warmer climates.
FACT 1: COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates.
MYTH 2: The only people who have to worry about contracting, or dying, from COVID-19 are the elderly. This virus doesn’t infect children or healthy adults.
FACT 2: Early research in the United States shows that COVID-19 can develop and result in severe disease among people of all ages. Social distancing is universally recommended to slow the spread of the virus.
MYTH 3: The U.S. has developed a vaccine against the new coronavirus.
FACT 3: The director of NIAID (National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease) has estimated that this process will take 12 to 18 months from March 2020, and that a commercial vaccine would not be available until after that.
The pharmacy at a clinic inside Neno District Hospital in Malawi. Photo by Zack DeClerck / Partners In Health
MYTH 4: There is a cure for COVID-19. I’ve heard that people who take Vitamin C, gargle with hot water, salt and vinegar, or take antimalarial medication get better.
FACT 4: While some western, traditional, or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate symptoms of COVID-19, there is no evidence that current medicine can prevent or cure the disease.
MYTH 5: Antibiotics are effective against the new coronavirus.
FACT 5: No. Antibiotics do not work against viruses, they only work on bacterial infections. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not work.
MYTH 6: If I wear a mask, I can continue doing everything I normally do, without the need to practice social distancing.
FACT 6: If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a health care provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing or one is unavailable), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. If you are not sick: Facemasks are in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers. The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings, however surgical masks and n95 respirators should still be reserved for healthcare workers.
Staff with Socios En Salud gather for a training on COVID-19 rapid tests in northern Lima. Photo courtesy of Socios En Salud
MYTH 7: We’re all going to get this virus anyway, so there’s no point in taking drastic measures.
FACT 7: Hospitals around the world, including New York City hospitals, are already straining under the onslaught of novel coronavirus cases, even as state officials say the real peak of the outbreak is nearly a month and a half away.
Doctors at the largest public hospital in New York say equipment shortages have resulted in them wearing the same masks for as long as a week. Emergency-room physicians at another hospital are having to reuse gowns. Some large hospitals already have exceeded the capacity of their intensive-care units.
“I’ve seen more cases in the last 10 days of severe respiratory illness than we’ve seen in years,” says Dr. Mangala Narasimhan. “I’m very worried.”
MYTH 9: Drink plenty of water! If the virus is in your throat, you can wash it into your stomach, where it will be killed by digestive acids.
FACT 9: Infections often begin after we’ve been exposed to thousands or millions of viral particles, so sweeping a few down the throat is unlikely to have much of an impact.
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