There's a lot of fake news about COVID-19 going around. This can cause a lot of anxiety if you don't know the facts. We're busting 10 common #COVID19 myths to help put your mind at ease:

 

  1. “COVID-19 is a myth”

- Nope! 100% not true.

- COVID-19 is real – it’s a disease caused by Coronavirus that originated from China. The symptoms include cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, diarrhoea, and headache. More than 170,000 patients have died as a result of the disease worldwide.

 

  1. “COVID-19 is a man-made disease”

- There is no evidence to support the notion that COVID-19 is a man-made disease. It is believed that the virus originated from an animal to a human.

 

  1. “Taking Vitamin C can prevent COVID-19”

- Vitamin C cannot prevent COVID-19, but a healthy immune system could help you to tackle it better.

 

  1. “COVID-19 only affects old people”

- This isn’t true. People of all ages can be infected by COVID-19. People with pre-existing health conditions or weak immune systems are more prone to the disease because of their vulnerability; so, people with asthma, diabetes and heart disease.

 

  1. “Eating garlic helps prevent COVID-19”

- There is no evidence that garlic can be used to prevent COVID-19.

 

  1. “Drinking alcohol and spraying chlorine all over your body can kill COVID-19”

- Drinking alcohol does not prevent COVID-19; excessive consumption can put your health at risk.

- Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body cannot kill COVID-19.

 

  1. “Wearing a face mask will prevent me from being infected”

- If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected COVID19. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing. Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.

 

  1. “Staying in the sun or under temperatures higher than 25Celsius prevents COVID-19”

- COVID-19 can thrive in the heat; countries with hot weather, such as Nigeria, have reported many cases of the disease.

- To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently and thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

 

  1. “There is a vaccine for COVID-19”

- Scientists are working on creating one but at the moment, there is no known vaccine for the treatment of COVID-19.

 

  1.   “Antibiotics prevent and treat COVID-19”

- Antibiotics are used to treat bacteria. COVID-19 is a virus; therefore, people should not self-medicate with antibiotics. That said, bacterial co-infection is possible, so hospitals are treating COVID-19 patients with antibiotics.

- There is also no specific medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 at the moment.

 

For the most accurate info on COVID-19, text "COVID" to 0041798931892 or chat to the WHO chatbot on Facebook  

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