Myths and facts about COVID-19

The coronavirus infection COVID-19, which has spread around the world in a short period, has created many problems around the world in 2020. But, unfortunately, after almost a year, people still know little about this new and mysterious virus. And because of ignorance, they make mistakes that can only aggravate the course of the disease and negatively affect health in the future. Therefore, it is worth sorting out and finding real and fictional facts in order to decide how to behave in the current situation.

MYTH: Vitamins and Vitamin-Containing Foods Help Treat Coronavirus

Although vitamins D and C are vital components for the normal functioning of the human body, there are no recommendations for any vitamin supplements, including those listed above, to combat coronavirus, as their effectiveness has not been proven. The same applies to foods rich in these vitamins, namely: lemon, ginger, garlic, hot hot peppers. However, these foods and vitamin supplements, due to their properties, can be used as a prevention of diseases, including COVID-19.

FACT: Hydroxychloroquine is not an effective treatment for COVID-19

Hydroxychloroquine is not a new drug, it has proven itself in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agent, and also for the treatment of malaria. Based on these considerations, hydroxychloroquine was considered a potential drug in the treatment of COVID-19. However, in the course of clinical trials, it did not show the expected results, therefore, at the moment, its use is already limited in the scheme for combating coronavirus infection, it is present in the last 9 recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, but has certain conditions for use strictly according to indications. MYTH: Dexamethasone will definitely be needed in the treatment of COVID-19.

Yes, indeed, dexamethasone may and will be needed in the treatment of coronavirus infection. However, it is prescribed to patients only with moderate to severe disease, when the body’s immune response fails. Moreover, its use gives a positive effect in strictly defined dosages.

At the same time, no positive results of use in people with a mild course of the disease or as a prophylaxis for the aggravation of the process have been recorded. Rather, on the contrary, the early use of hormone therapy suppresses one’s own immune system and delays the healing process. Therefore, it is definitely not worth buying dexamethasone in advance in large quantities.

FACT: You don’t need to wear a mask while exercising

Indeed, during power loads, air consumption increases, and the presence of a mask prevents a normal amount of air from entering the lungs. As a result, this can lead to hypoxia. At the same time, strength training provokes increased sweating. And the presence of a mask at this moment implies its rapid wetting, which in turn contributes to the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria and an increased risk of disease.

For more productive and non-depressing workouts, you should keep a distance of 1,5 meters or more from others, and it is best to train outdoors.

MYTH: A mask will not help protect against coronavirus

Most likely, the basis for this myth is the fact that the virus molecule is much smaller than the time of the mask. However, the virus is transmitted from person to person through the release of body fluids, most commonly through talking and sneezing. And in this case, the mask serves as a good barrier. Moreover, if there is also an interlocutor in the mask, which can be a source of infection, then the likelihood of getting infected is significantly reduced.

Also, it is worth adhering to the rules for wearing the mask itself, because if used incorrectly, it can also become an additional source of problems, in particular, become a source of self-infection. Do not forget that disposable masks should be changed every 2-3 hours and not reused.

It is necessary to pay attention to the size of the mask so that it covers the nose, mouth and part of the chin, it should sit snugly on the bridge of the nose, and fit snugly on the cheeks.

FACT: Water and swimming are not potential contributors to COVID-19

Water, indeed, is not a carrier of the virus. Therefore, the likelihood of getting infected while swimming is low, or absent altogether. At the same time, communication, or rather the spraying of biological fluid when talking or sneezing, for example, in a pool where people are without protective equipment, is potentially dangerous to human health. For this, it is very important to observe the rules of social distancing.

MYTH: You don’t have to bathe every time you leave the house.

Every time you leave your home, you come into contact with various surfaces that other people, possibly those with COVID-19, have also come into contact with. Therefore, it is important to wash your hands with soap whenever possible, and if that doesn’t work, then it’s better to have an alcohol-containing antiseptic in this case, as these agents kill viruses. Based on the above, showering or bathing with soap also helps to eliminate the virus. But in this case, the temperature of the water does not play any role, since the body temperature of a healthy person in any conditions remains within 36 – 37 degrees Celsius.

However, a shower or bath is not as accessible a hygiene procedure as hand washing. And it is unlikely that every time after returning home from the street, each person will take a bath or shower.

FACT: The virus can live on various surfaces

Unfortunately, this is a fact. At room temperature (20-25 degrees Celsius), the virus can survive up to 3 days, so things that people touch often enough should be disinfected at least once a day, for example, a mobile phone.

MYTH: If the virus lives on surfaces, you can get it from dirty shoes

In this case, fortunately, the probability of infection with the virus brought home by dirty shoes is quite low. However, it is worth resorting to some cautions, in particular for families where small children crawl on the floor. In this case, it is worth leaving the shoes in a separate vestibule, if the design of the house allows, or hiding them in a separate closet to prevent the child from contacting dirty shoes.

FACT: the viability of the virus depends on weather conditions

Like many microorganisms, the virus also cannot withstand the adverse conditions of life. Namely, at sub-zero or very high temperatures, the virus dies. Therefore, the risks of morbidity in winter or summer are quite low. At the same time, in the off-season, in spring and autumn, when temperature fluctuations do not imply frost or heat, in particular, at a temperature of +15-20 degrees and high humidity, the virus feels very good.

FACT: Ultraviolet radiation kills coronavirus

The virus is sensitive to direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation and dies fairly quickly.

FACT: COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus, not a bacterium in the body

It is the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 disease in the body, and not a bacterium, as many people mistakenly believe. A viral infection, in turn, cannot be treated with antibiotics. However, in the course of the disease, complications may appear in the form of a bacterial infection. In this case, the use of antibiotics becomes justified.

MYTH: Drinking alcohol reduces the risk of contracting COVID-19 due to its antiseptic properties

This is not true. Drinking alcohol in large quantities and quite often weakens the human immune system, respectively, the likelihood of the risk of the disease only increases.

FACT: Animals can also get coronavirus infection

Indeed, any animals, including pets, can get coronavirus infection. However, the possibility of transmission of this disease from animal to human is excluded.

And the likelihood of contracting COVID-19 through insect bites or contact with house flies has also not been confirmed. Currently, the proven way of spreading the virus is respiratory, through the release of body fluid when talking, coughing or sneezing, as well as when touching contaminated surfaces.

MYTH: Drinking bleach, methanol, ethanol reduces the risk of COVID-19

It is possible that the above substances have antiseptic properties, but only when they are used outside, namely for the treatment of various surfaces, but in no case when they are used by a person inside by any means. After all, all these substances are poisons, and can lead to serious consequences for the body, even death.

FACT: Exposure to high or low temperatures on the human body will not help prevent coronavirus infection

As mentioned earlier, the virus is transmitted with biological fluids, regardless of the country, climate, weather conditions. And even solar exposure to the human body will not protect against the disease. As proof, cases of COVID-19 infection have also been recorded in countries with a hot and sunny climate.

This also applies to finding a person in conditions of negative temperatures. After all, the temperature of a healthy person under any weather conditions remains within 36-37 degrees Celsius, which means that reproduction and spread of the virus is possible. Therefore, exposure to low temperatures does not affect the body in any way. And to prevent the spread of the virus, you need to treat your hands with alcohol-containing products, or wash them with soap and water, wear a mask.

MYTH: A 10-second breath-hold test helps to determine the presence of a coronavirus infection in the body

Coronavirus infection may be asymptomatic, or it may be accompanied by general malaise, a slight fever, or a dry cough. When this test is performed with asymptomatic disease, there may not be any signs of shortness of breath, cough, or chest discomfort, which are possible in the presence of viral pneumonia, but even then not always.

To date, there is only one way to detect a disease in the body – a laboratory method.

FACT: UV lamps should not be used when disinfecting body parts

The use of ultraviolet radiation is not the best solution for disinfecting the skin and various parts of the body, as it can cause irritation, in some cases burns and damage to the mucous membranes of the eyes, and other more serious consequences. Therefore, the best solution in this case is washing with soap or disinfection with alcohol-containing products.

FACT: Pneumonia Vaccine Helps Treat Coronavirus Infection

At the moment (January 2021) there is only one vaccine approved by the World Health Organization against COVID-19 ^[1]. This is a drug called Comirnaty jointly produced by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the bioengineering company BioNTech (Germany). In addition, other countries are already vaccinating with other vaccines, for example, in Russia it is Sputnik V, which is not yet included in the WHO list of recommended drugs for emergency use, but it is registered and approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

FACT: The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 is curable

Coronavirus, like many viruses, die in the body over time. And the disease caused by it is cured. In case of infection with a coronavirus infection, only the symptoms that appear are treated, as with a common cold.

If a fever persists and a cough appears, you should seek medical help immediately.

Unfortunately, absolutely all people, regardless of age, are at risk of contracting coronavirus. Therefore, regardless of age, everyone needs to adhere to the rules of protection against infection.

People who are aged or have chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease are at increased risk. Given that not much time has passed since the onset of this infection, the long-term effects on the body are not well understood.

MYTH: 5G network does not spread COVID-19

Radio signals, including mobile ones, do not affect or contribute to the spread of the virus across countries. The coronavirus epidemic has been recorded even in those countries where the 5G standard does not function at all.

At the moment, studies have proven that the spread of the virus is carried out through the release of biological fluid by a person when talking, sneezing and coughing. To protect against getting the virus into the body, you need to adhere to certain rules, including wearing a mask and regularly washing your hands with soap and water.

Conclusion

The most important thing during a pandemic is not to panic. Instead, adhere to the norms and recommendations for self-protection from the disease. And also, do not trust rumors, but check any information on official sources.

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