Myth 1: Certain food and drinks may help in prevention or treatment.
Fact: Alcohol consumption makes it worse, by affecting the immunity. Eating garlic, turmeric and ginger will not protect but may increase immunity to some extent.
Myth 2: Only elderly and diseased persons can have COVID-19 infection.
Fact: Any healthy person may be an asymptomatic carrier and the individuals of all age groups can get affected. The risk of having an infection and severe disease is more in the elderly (>60 years) and those who are immune-compromised or have certain pre-existing conditions or diseases (e.g. diabetes, respiratory illnesses, obesity, HIV, Chronic kidney diseases, Cancer, etc).
Myth 3: Homeopathic and Chinese medicines can cure COVID-19.
Fact: No medicine of any ‘pathy’ has found a certain cure for this viral infection. Although some medicines like Hydroxychloroquin etc have been used on an experimental basis and should only be used as per the doctor’s advice. The only treatment recommended is the use of Paracetamol tablets, in case of fever and body aches. Currently, there are no vaccines available for its prevention, although the research is going on at various centers at an immense pace to find a suitable vaccine for it.’
Myth 4: The preventive measures are overhyped and may not be necessary for all.
Fact: COVID-19 is an airborne infection, and mainly spreads through droplets, but can spread through fomites also. Social distancing (keeping away at least one meter apart) and doing frequent hand washing with soap (for 20 seconds) and using hand sanitizer are highly effective and are the best available preventive measures.
Myth 5: Everyone should wear a surgical mask.
Fact: Homemade cloth masks are adequate for the common public, who are not in contact with an infected patient. But a person with symptoms of cough, cold and fever must wear a surgical mask when going out in public places or to the hospital. An N95 mask is a precious resource and should be only used by healthcare workers or high-risk individuals and those who are taking care of COVID-19 patients.
Myth 6: Coronavirus won’t survive in the hot weather (summer).
Fact: No data is yet available to support this. Novel Coronavirus gets killed at a temperature above 56 degrees Celcius. Countries with hot weather have reported cases of COVID-19. So do not be falsely reassured, with summer approaching now. The droplets of an infected person may, however, dry down in the atmosphere earlier in the summer.
Myth 7: Catching Coronavirus infection is deadly.
Fact: No more than 80% of patients are asymptomatic and recover on their own, in 7-10 days Only 20% remaining patients require treatment and some of them do require hospitalization, especially if they severe breathing problems. Although this virus is highly contagious, the mortality rate after the infection is around 2-3 % only.