Beware of these Myths about Coronavirus

Sadly, a pandemic, a lockdown and nothing-better-to-do has resulted in quite a lot of myths around COVID19 to spread across social media. These are mostly in the form of looooong WhatsApp messages, Facebook posts or Instagram memes which either quote facts which are out of context, incorrect and incomplete; Or they are conspiracy theories quoted so confidently that they sound true. This leads to the spread of misinformation and in worst cases, panic.

Here are a few Myths we came across:

Myth 1: Corona virus will not survive if you sit in the sun. And it does not survive at temperatures more than 25C degrees.

It does not matter how sunny or hot the weather is, you can still catch COVID19. To protect yourself, make sure you clean your hands frequently and thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose. 

Myth 2: If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing, you do not have COVID19.

No matter what the Yogi baba says, the best way to confirm if you have the COVID-19 virus is with a laboratory test. You cannot confirm it with this breathing exercise, which can even be dangerous. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are dry cough, tiredness and fever. Some people may develop more severe forms of the disease, such as pneumonia.

Myth 3: Eating Garlic helps prevent infection with the new Coronavirus.

Garlic is a healthy food, but there is no evidence from the recent outbreak that eating Garlic has protected people from getting infected from Corona virus.

Myth 4: 5G mobile networks can spread Corona virus.

Viruses cannot travel on radio waves/mobile networks. COVID-19 is spreading in many countries that do not have 5G mobile networks. COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. People can also be infected by touching a contaminated surface and then their eyes, mouth or nose.

In times like these, let's  do our bit, if you come across a controversial fake news story or any piece of information which causes panic or fear, do not send it to anyone. Stop the chain. Stay home, stay safe, stay well-informed.

Source: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters