With almost as much unproven coronavirus information flying around as the bug itself, it’s easy to get caught up in spiralling fears about how doomed we all are in the midst of this pandemic.
But it’s more important than ever to curb your reading, making sure you're sticking to reliable sources. Like medical experts, for example, who understand what there is to know so far about the contagious COVID-19 strain. We asked Babylon Health doctor Claudia Pastides to debunk some of the falsehoods she's seen about coronavirus across social media, as a reminder not to believe everything you read.
At this stage, there are plenty of unknowns about the virus. But based on all the research and information we have so far, the following statements are believed to be nothing more than myths, and not based on any scientific substance.
Myth 1: Coronavirus is man-made
The truth: "The virus that causes COVID-19 is a zoonotic virus. This means that it originated from an animal. It’s likely to have jumped the species barrier to humans. This process of jumping species was probably how the virus that causes COVID-19 came about. It was not made in a lab."
Myth 2: Hand sanitisers don't work to kill coronavirus
The truth: "Whilst this is true for a few strains of viruses - for example, the norovirus that causes stomach bugs - it’s not the case with coronaviruses. Using a hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol will kill the coronavirus."
Myth 3: Pets can transmit the virus too
The truth: "There is no evidence that the virus which causes COVID-19 can be spread by your pets. That said, it’s still early days and scientists are keeping a close eye on things like this. So you should always wash your hands properly after touching any pets."
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Myth 4: Heat, applied to the skin or taking a hot bath will kill the virus
The truth: "Once a virus is in your body, it is down to your immune system to kill it off. Hot baths and hot drinks won’t be able to reach or kill the virus because it lies within cells inside your body. Your body regulates its temperature very carefully and won’t allow it to raise much, despite hot drinks and baths. The best way to kill the virus, if you may have come into contact with it on your skin, is by washing with soap and water or using hand sanitiser."
Myth 5: You can prevent the virus spreading by gargling salt water
The truth: "There’s no evidence that regularly gargling with salt water - or anything else, like hot drinks - will prevent you from being infected by the coronavirus."
Myth 6: Eating garlic will help prevent you from catching coronavirus
The truth: "Eating a healthy and balanced diet with fruit and vegetables, including garlic, is always a good idea. But there is no evidence that eating lots of garlic is going to prevent you from getting COVID-19."
Dr Claudia Pastides MRCGP MBBS iBSc is a GP and medical copywriter, working for healthcare app Babylon.
The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it's possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For any concerns and latest advice, visit the World Health Organisation. If you're in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. news, features and health. The route to her heart is a simple combination of pasta and cheese (somewhat ironic considering the whole health writing thing), and she finds it difficult to commit to TV series so currently has about 14 different ones on the go.
