CORONAVIRUS pandemic has put the world down to its knees. These are one of the most desperate times that the world has seen in decades. People are getting infected, countries are locked down and put into isolation, traveling is being stopped, normal life has been completely halted and there’s panic everywhere. At least 114 countries have been affected by this virus so far. In Pakistan, almost 100 new coronavirus cases confirmed over the past 24 hours and the number of COVID-19 patients across Pakistan has reached 193.
In such a distressing situation where coronavirus has become the epicenter of every person’s life, there’s a lot of information circulating regarding coronavirus and as a result of which there are many myths in which we all have started to believe in. It’s extremely important that we believe only in authentic information and do not trust in unreliable sources because it will only increase the panic. Also, if you notice any symptoms of coronavirus, you can take online consultation with qualified doctors through marham.pk.
Read More: Coronavirus – Symptoms, Cauese, and Prevention
In this article, we’ll debunk the seven most common myths regarding coronavirus which are prevalent in our society right now:
Myth: Coronavirus will end in hot and humid weather:
You would’ve heard people say that coronavirus may finish in hot weather. But from the evidence that the researchers have got so far, coronavirus can be transmitted in all areas irrespective of the weather and even in those areas which have hot and humid weather. Thus, there’s no truth behind this statement that coronavirus will end in hot weather and thus it’s important that regardless of the climate or weather, we continue to adopt protective measures even if you live in or are traveling to an area which is hot.
Myth: Surgical face masks can protect you from the virus:
We’ve seen a massive surge in the demand for masks and people are wearing it as a protection to the coronavirus. However, standard surgical masks cannot protect you from coronavirus as they are not designed to block out viral particles and do not lay flush to the face. But what common surgical masks can do is to help prevent infected people from spreading the virus further by blocking any respiratory droplets that could be expelled from their mouths.
For protection from coronavirus, special masks called “N95 respirators” should be used as have shown to greatly reduce the spread of the virus. These masks can thus help you in protection from the virus however these require special training to properly fit N95 respirators on your face so that no air is passed out
Myth: Antibiotics are an effective treatment:
Would antibiotics help in treating coronavirus? The answer is NO. Antibiotics do not work against viruses and are effective only for bacteria. As coronavirus is a virus and not a bacteria, therefore, antibiotics should not be used as a means of prevention or treatment as they won’t work as well. However, if you are hospitalized, then you may receive antibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible as a result of coronavirus.
Myth: Only old people are at risk:
One thing that has been circulating around the most has been that only the old people are at risk. Yes, they are at more risk and even have a higher death rate but it is a big myth that only those are the people who are at risk. People of all ages can get infected by the new coronavirus and this has been the case all around the globe. If you are old or already have any medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease are more vulnerable to this virus, however, WHO has advised people of all ages to take necessary precautions.
Myth: Getting coronavirus is a death sentence:
Amidst all the chaos, the only sign of relief is when you look at the death rate of coronavirus. Getting infected by coronavirus doesn’t mean all that it’s a death sentence. Out of 1,000 coronavirus cases, between five to 40 coronavirus cases will result in death and the best guess is nine in 1,000 or about 1%. The overall mortality rate which has been around the globe or cited by health officials is “2% or is likely to be even lower.
Overall, the mortality rate of coronavirus is even less than some other diseases such as AIDS, TB or other such health ailments which result in more deaths on a daily basis. If proper precautions are taken, you can recover from coronavirus with ease.
Myth: Pets can spread the coronavirus:
Pets and animals won’t transmit coronavirus to humans. One dog in China contracted a low-level infection from its owner, who was a confirmed case of coronavirus which means that dogs may be vulnerable to picking up the virus from people. But the virus wasn’t transmitted by the dog to any other human,
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people with COVID-19 infection should make someone else walk their pets or wash their hands properly before touching their pets.
Share this piece of information so that we can debunk the common myths in our society and provide authentic information to people.