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Coronavirus myths exploredMedically reviewed by Meredith Goodwin, MD, FAAFP on May 7, 2020 New — Written byTim Newman

As coronavirus continues to make the news, a host ofuntruths has surrounded the topic. In this Special Feature,we address some of these myths and conspiracytheories.

A variety of myths have sprung up around the novel coronavirus.

This article was updated on May 7, 2020

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The novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, has spread fromWuhan, China, to every continent on Earth except Antarctica.

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially changed theirclassification of the situation from a public health emergency ofinternational concern to a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

The virus has been responsible for millions of infections globally, causinghundreds of thousands of deaths. The United States is the most affectedcountry.

As ever, when the word “pandemic” starts appearing in headlines, peoplebecome fearful — and with fear comes misinformation and rumors.

Here, we will dissect some of the most common myths that are currentlycirculating on social media and beyond.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreakand visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention andtreatment.

1. Spraying chlorine or alcohol on the skin kills viruses in thebody

Applying alcohol or chlorine to the body can cause harm, especially if itenters the eyes or mouth. Although people can use these chemicals todisinfect surfaces, they should not use them on the skin.

These products cannot kill viruses within the body.

2. Only older adults and young people are at risk

SARS-CoV-2, like other coronaviruses, can infect people of any age.However, older adults and individuals with preexisting health conditions,such as diabetes or asthma, are more likely to become severely ill. �ADVERTISEMENT

3. Children cannot get COVID-19

All age groups can contract SARS-CoV-2.

So far, most cases have been in adults, but children are not immune. Infact, preliminary evidence suggests that children are just as likely tocontract it, but their symptoms tend to be less severe.

4. COVID-19 is just like the flu

SARS-CoV-2 causes an illness that does have flu-like symptoms, such asaches, a fever, and a cough. Similarly, both COVID-19 and the flu can bemild, severe, or, in rare cases, fatal. Both can also lead to pneumonia.

However, the overall profile of COVID-19 is more serious. Estimates vary,but its mortality rate seems to be between about 1% and 3%.

Although scientists are still working out the exact mortality rate, it is likelyto be many times higher than that of seasonal flu.

5. Everyone with COVID-19 dies

This statement is untrue. As we mentioned above, COVID-19 is only fatalfor a small percentage of people.

In a recent report, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Preventionconcluded that 80.9% of COVID-19 cases were mild.

The WHO also report that around 80% of people will experience arelatively mild form of the disease, which will not require specialisttreatment in a hospital.

Mild symptoms may include a fever, a cough, a sore throat, tiredness, andshortness of breath.

6. Cats and dogs spread coronavirus

Currently, there is little evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can infectcats and dogs. However, in Hong Kong, a Pomeranian whose owner had

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COVID-19 also contracted the virus. The dog did not display anysymptoms.

Scientists are debating the importance of this case to the outbreak. Forinstance, Prof. Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecular virology at theUniversity of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, says:

“We have to differentiate between real infection and just detecting thepresence of the virus. I still think it’s questionable how relevant it is to thehuman outbreak, as most of the global outbreak has been driven byhuman-to-human transmission.”

He continues: “We need to find out more, but we don’t need to panic —I doubt it could spread to another dog or a human because of the lowlevels of the virus. The real driver of the outbreak is humans.”

7. Face masks always protect against coronavirus

Healthcare workers use professional face masks, which fit tightly aroundthe face, to protect themselves from infection.

Disposable and cloth masks can protect against droplets, but neither canprotect against aerosolized particles.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend thatall people wear cloth face masks in public places where it is difficult tomaintain a 6-foot (2-meter) distance from others. This will help slow thespread of the virus from asymptomatic people and those who do notknow that they have contracted it.

When wearing a mask, it is essential to continue with other precautions,such as not touching the face and practicing physical distancing.

Instructions for making masks at home are available here.

Surgical masks and N95 respirators provide greater protection, but theseare reserved for healthcare workers only.

8. Hand dryers kill coronavirus

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Hand dryers do not kill coronavirus. The best way to protect oneself andothers from the virus is to wash the hands with soap and water or analcohol-based hand rub.

9. SARS-CoV-2 is just a mutated form of the common cold

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, all of which have spikyproteins on their surface. Some of these viruses use humans as theirprimary host and cause the common cold. Other coronaviruses, such asSARS-CoV-2, primarily infect animals.

Both Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acuterespiratory syndrome (SARS) began in animals and passed into humans.

10. You have to be with someone for 10 minutes to catch thevirus

The longer someone is with a person who has it, the more likely they areto catch the virus themselves, but it is still possible to catch it in under 10minutes.

11. Rinsing the nose with saline protects against coronavirus

There is no evidence to suggest that a saline nose rinse protects againstrespiratory infections. Some research suggests that this technique mightreduce the symptoms of acute upper respiratory tract infections, butscientists have not found that it can reduce the risk of infection.

12. You can protect yourself by gargling bleach

People should never put bleach in their mouths. There are nocircumstances in which gargling bleach might benefit a person’s health.Bleach is corrosive and can cause serious damage.

13. Antibiotics kill coronavirus

Antibiotics only kill bacteria. They do not kill viruses.�ADVERTISEMENT

14. Thermal scanners can diagnose coronavirus

Thermal scanners can detect whether or not someone has a fever.However, other conditions, such as seasonal flu, can also produce a fever.

In addition, symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2–14 days after infection,which means that someone who has the virus could have a normaltemperature for a few days before a fever begins.

15. Garlic protects against coronaviruses

Some research suggests that garlic might slow the growth of somespecies of bacteria. However, COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and there isno evidence to suggest that garlic can protect people against COVID-19.

16. Parcels from China can spread coronavirus

From previous research into similar coronaviruses, including those thatcause SARS and MERS and are similar to SARS-CoV-2, scientists believethat the virus cannot survive on letters or packages for an extendedperiod of time.

The CDC explain that “because of poor survivability of thesecoronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread fromproducts or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks atambient temperatures.”

17. Home remedies can cure and protect against COVID-19

No home remedies can protect against COVID-19. This goes for vitamin C,essential oils, silver colloid, sesame oil, garlic, fish tank cleaner, burningsage, and sipping water every 15 minutes.

The best approach is to adopt a good hand-washing regimen and toavoid places where there may be sick people.

18. You can catch coronavirus from eating Chinese food inthe US

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No, you cannot.

19. You can catch coronavirus from urine and feces

It is unlikely that this is true, but the jury is currently out. According to Prof.John Edmunds, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicinein the U.K.:

“It isn’t a very pleasant thought, but every time you swallow, you swallowmucus from your upper respiratory tract. In fact, this is an importantdefensive mechanism. This sweeps viruses and bacteria down into ourgut where they are denatured in the acid conditions of our stomachs.”

“With modern, very highly sensitive detection mechanisms, we can detectthese viruses in feces. Usually, viruses we can detect in this way are notinfectious to others, as they have been destroyed by our guts.”

However, it is worth noting that some research concludes that virusessimilar to SARS-CoV-2 might persist in feces. A recent research letter inJAMA also concludes that SARS-CoV-2 is present in feces.

20. The virus will die off when temperatures rise in thespring

Some viruses, such as cold and flu viruses, do spread more easily in thecolder months, but that does not mean that they stop entirely whenconditions become milder.

As it stands, scientists do not know how temperature changes willinfluence the behavior of SARS-CoV-2.

21. Coronavirus is the deadliest virus known to humans

Although SARS-CoV-2 does appear to be more serious than influenza, itis not the deadliest virus that people have faced. Others, such as Ebola,have higher mortality rates.

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22. Flu and pneumonia vaccines can protect against COVID-19

As SARS-CoV-2 is different to other viruses, no existing vaccines protectagainst infection.

23. The virus originated in a laboratory in China

Despite internet rumors, there is no evidence to suggest that this is thecase. In fact, a recent study demonstrates that the virus is a naturalproduct of evolution.

Some researchers believe that SARS-CoV-2 may have jumped frompangolins to humans. Others think that it might have passed to us frombats, which was the case for SARS.

24. The outbreak began because people ate bat soup

Although scientists are confident that the virus started in animals, there isno evidence to suggest that it came from soup of any kind.

25. 5G helps SARS-CoV-2 spread

As the world becomes more connected, some regions are rolling out 5Gmobile technology. A raft of conspiracy theories appear wherever thistechnology sets foot.

One of the most recent theories to emerge is that 5G is responsible forthe swift spread of SARS-CoV-2 across the globe.

Some people claim that 5G helps viruses communicate, often citing apaper from 2011. In this study, the authors conclude that bacteria cancommunicate via electromagnetic signals. However, experts dispute thistheory, and SARS-CoV-2 is a virus, not a bacterium.

Wuhan was one of the first cities to trial 5G in China, which helps explainthe origin of some of these theories. However, Beijing, Shanghai, andGuangzhou also rolled out 5G at a similar time.

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It is also worth noting that COVID-19 has significantly impacted countrieswith very little 5G coverage, such as Iran.

Learn about the health implications of 5G in depth here.

26. Drinking alcohol reduces the risk of infection

In response to a series of myths surrounding alcohol and COVID-19, theWHO released a statement. In it, they explain that although alcohol candisinfect the skin, it does not work the same way inside the body.

They explain that “consuming any alcohol poses health risks, butconsuming high-strength ethyl alcohol (ethanol), particularly if it has beenadulterated with methanol, can result in severe health consequences,including death.”

In a fact sheet on the subject, they write that, “Alcohol use, especiallyheavy use, weakens the immune system and thus reduces the ability tocope with infectious diseases.”

Because alcohol is associated with a number of diseases, it may makepeople more vulnerable to COVID-19.

27. Injecting or consuming bleach or disinfectant kills thevirus

Consuming or injecting disinfectant or bleach will not remove viruses fromthe body.

Dr Wayne Carter, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham’sschool of medicine in the U.K., writes that “[d]isinfectants and bleach arestrong oxidizing agents, useful to kill bacteria or viruses when they aredeposited on surfaces, but these agents should not be ingested orinjected. These agents can cause severe tissue burns and blood vesseldamage.”

Dr. Penny Ward, Visiting Professor in pharmaceutical medicine at KingsCollege London, U.K., explains, “Drinking bleach kills. Injecting bleach killsfaster.”

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The CDC recommend these simple measures to reduce the spread ofSARS-CoV-2:

avoiding close contact with people who appear to be sick

trying not to touch the eyes, nose, or mouth

staying at home if sick

sneezing into a tissue, then throwing it in the trash, or sneezing intothe crook of the elbow

using standard cleaning sprays and wipes to disinfect frequentlytouched objects and surfaces

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Public Health Respiratory Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses

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