The coronavirus epidemic broke out in the Wuhan province of China in January 2020. It started out as just another type of flu. But very soon it took on dangerous dimensions. Today, in just a couple of months, coronavirus is one of the most lethal diseases in modern history and has already surpassed the two other deadly outbreaks – Ebola and SARS.

According to the latest update, nearly 1,00,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed globally. The global death toll from coronavirus has crossed 5798. Recently 75 people in India have tested positive for coronavirus.

Helpline number from Indian Government –

The government has also taken an initiative to set up a 24X7 helpline number 011-23978046 to attend to queries about the novel coronavirus (nCov) as the number of cases rose across the world.

Efforts are on to contain the spread of the disease and all countries have joined hands to defeat this threat. But in the midst of all this, rumours are doing rounds that are creating even more confusion and escalating the fear that has gripped the world.

Today we will look at the common coronavirus myths and debunk them.

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• Hand Dryers can kill coronavirus

Do you use hand dryers to dry your hands after washing? Recently, a rumour began to be circulated claiming that these dryers can effectively kill coronavirus. But according to WHO, there is no scientific basis for this claim.

To remove possible coronavirus from your hands, you have to wash them thoroughly with soap and water. Otherwise, the viruses can enter your body if you touch your nose, eyes or mouth with unwashed hands. You can also use a hand sanitiser that contains alcohol to kill the viruses.

• Ultraviolet disinfection lamp kills coronavirus

These lamps do not kill viruses. Moreover, using them frequently can cause skin damage. UV rays can irritate your skin and cause allergies and premature wrinkles.  

• Spraying alcohol or chlorine can kill coronavirus in infected people

If the coronavirus has already entered your body, then spraying yourself with alcohol or chlorine will not help. In fact, if used all over the body, these substances can cause serious skin irritations. They can only kill the virus if it is on the surface of the skin.

• Receiving packages or letter arriving from China can give you coronavirus

  The coronavirus cannot survive for long on inanimate objects like parcels or letters. So you can safely accept any mail or parcel coming in from China.

• Pets can give you coronavirus

Are you worried because you have a pet? WHO has found no evidence to support the claim that household pets can contract coronavirus. So, in all likelihood, you will not get the infection from them. However, just to be absolutely safe, wash your hands after touching any dog or cat. And if you have pets of your own, give them regular showers so that they don’t pass any kind of bacteria to you.

• Pneumonia vaccines can prevent coronavirus

Even though the deaths due to coronavirus result from the progress of the infection to pneumonia, any vaccine that prevents pneumonia will not work against this new strain of the virus. Efforts are ongoing to develop a fresh new vaccine that can kill coronavirus.

• Using a saline nasal spray will prevent coronavirus

Even though a nasal spray may speed up recovery from a common cough and cold, there is absolutely no evidence that proves that a saline spray can prevent the coronavirus.

• Garlic can save you from coronavirus

There is no evidence or study that has conclusively proved that garlic is effective against coronavirus. Garlic has anti-microbial properties so you can consume it to strengthen your immunity.

• Sesame oil will prevent coronavirus

No, it won’t prevent coronavirus and no evidence has been found to support this claim.  

Conclusion  

Although coronavirus is showing no signs of slowing down, you can take steps to ensure that it doesn’t affect you. Don’t fall prey to misinformation and adopt preventive measures that doctors recommend to protect yourself from coronavirus.

Also, you can assess yourself and your loved ones at home with –

PharmEasy’s AI-Powered Bot – Covid Assist.

Do you feel like you may have the symptoms of Coronavirus? You can now book the Coronavirus Detection Test right from the comforts of your home. Click below.

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