5 Myths About COVID-19

There is a lot of information doing rounds about the COVID-19 and not all is true.

With the anxiety of getting infected with COVID-19, most of the people are going ahead and believing these myths and even practicing them.

While a few of those anxious lots are running towards any and every news coming to their ear, there are also a few choose to dismiss the seriousness of COVID-19.

It is actually hard to believe a flu-like illness can be so destructive.

Below are a few myths about the pandemic coronavirus illness or COVID-19 that needs to be busted for good.

Flu and COVID-19 both cause respiratory illnesses, but are very different from each other.

Coronavirus binds to the receptors in the lower path of the airway and leads to dry cough, fever, and fatigue. A productive cough can be a symptom that can be seen in the later stages of COVID-19 infection.

Flu can also have a dry cough, fever, and fatigue along with the runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and muscle pain.

COVID-19 stands out for its mortality rate i.e. 3-4 % according to the WHO.⁽¹⁾ The seasonal flu has mortality lower than 0.1%.

COVID-19 cannot be called as just another type of flu at all.

Most of the people with COVID-19 develop mild or uncomplicated symptoms but there are a few that develop severe disease and out of them, 5% end in an intensive care unit.⁽²⁾

Data from CDC shows, among 2500 people infected with COVID-19, 23% were in the age group of 20-44 years.⁽³⁾

It is true that a young healthy person is less likely to get severe disease. If a young person is overweight, has diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, there are chances of the disease going out of control for them as well.

Elderly people are more at risk due to other health conditions. It does not mean the young individuals can feel safe form the virus and live their life as usual. They need to take precautions too.

Coronavirus is a respiratory virus and spreads through droplets from an infected person when he coughs or sneezes. It can also spread through saliva or discharge from the nose.

A mosquito cannot be a medium to spread as the virus does not remain in the blood for long.

There is no evidence of COVID-19 being spread via mosquito though coronavirus is found in the blood samples of the infected individuals.

There are numerous posts circulating in social media for the prevention of coronavirus.

One says that drinking water every 15 minutes can wash down the virus from the throat, bring it down the stomach where the acids can kill it.

There is no scientific evidence to support the same or for any other kind of viruses.

Drinking water is a good habit and is surely good to maintain a healthy system. It keeps the body hydrated and helps flush out toxins from the body. But flushing out the virus is not at all true.

Breast milk is the best source of nutrition to the child and it provides protection against many illnesses.

COVID-19 infected mothers can surely breastfeed the child with the following precautions: ⁽⁴⁾

• Wash hands before touching the baby
• Wear a face mask while feeding on breast
• Before touching a breast pump and bottle, wash hands thoroughly. Clean all the parts and things touched after each use.

There are currently numerous myths making round and more are yet to come. To avoid getting infected from the virus:

• Follow the basic hygiene measure recommended such as washing hands frequently, avoiding touching face, and practicing social distancing.
• Take up an exercise and diet regimen, take adequate sleep, and find ways to reduce stress.
• If suffering from a chronic health condition, try to keep it controlled as much as possible.

Also Read:

• What Does Coronavirus Do To Your Body?
• How to Prevent Getting Coronavirus?
• Is Coronavirus Curable?
• How Do You Test For Coronavirus?
• What Gets Rid Of Coronavirus?
• How Common is Coronavirus (Covid-19)?
• Can Face Mask Protect Against Coronavirus?
• Should You Be Worried About Coronavirus (COVID-19, 2019-nCoV)?