The large amount of information shared on our corona virus pandemic is presenting many dangerous myths currently being circulated. Here are 5 of these suspect stories that might help you stay safe in this dangerous news environment. My two sources include wellness.com and the CNN news media writers.
MYTH #1: Wearing a Face Mask Will Protect You.
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control changed their guidance on wearing surgical type masks due to more studies of asymptomatic (no symptoms) individuals’ spread of the virus occurring. Here are the facts: (1. The CDC does recommend wearing cloth (to be washed daily) or homemade face coverings in public places, such as grocery stores, where social distancing is difficult to maintain. (2. The public is told NOT to buy surgical masks or N95 respiratory masks needed greatly by health care workers in contact daily with a large number of corona virus patients. (3. The main benefit of wearing the masks isn’t to protect yourself from getting ill. It is to protect others from yourself if you are sick or don’t know you are sick . (4. You can still get the virus even if you use a mask. The pathogen can remain alive on steel and plastic surfaces, for instance, up to 3 days. It becomes easy also, when adjusting the mask, to repeatedly touch your face when wearing it. This can lead you into self- spreading the germ. (5. Add wearing the correct form of the correct mask to other voluntary public health measures such as staying 6 feet away from others, washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds each time, and no touching of your face.
MYTH #2: Gargling With Bleach Can Prevent Infection.
Using dangerous household goods in your mouth will make you sicker, even possibly kill you. If you must gargle with anything, please use only a saline solution or an approved mouthwash. Bleach may be used to kill the viral remains when only properly diluted on a house non-porous surface. Currently, there is nothing that will prevent getting the viral pathogen other than avoidance of exposure to it.
MYTH 3: This Virus Is No Worse Than a Cold Or No More Deadly Than The Seasonal Flu.
Some coronavirus strains can cause the common cold. However, other strains have been responsible for SARS and MERS infections which have proven deadly in the not too distant past. All coronaviruses are viral and not bacterial. Antibiotic meds are used only to treat bacterial problems. The common cold/with flu symptoms can cause a sore throat, runny nose, coughing, and congestion. This new cousin to the SARS and MERS germs is proving to be very dangerous, as well. Its symptoms include a fever, dry cough, and difficulty breathing, leading to possible pneumonia, sepsis and organ failure. Varying drugs, vaccines, and antibody testing are now being investigated in hospitals and research labs across the U.S., as well as around the world. A vaccine is promised for the summer of 2021. A chloroquine, zithromax, and zinc coctail drug combo is already proving to be somewhat successful and is being used among selected hospital patients. But because of heart rhythm side effects of the chloroquine, more testing still appears to be needed for the established anti-malaria drug. A COVID-19 antibody test is now showing promise, as well, for establishing clues to finding exposure of the asymptomatic person (please see (4. below).
Here are key differences when comparing the coronavirus and the flu: (1. The flu season revealed, ***in 6 months of record taking, more than 24,000 American deaths with at least 39 million people infected. NOTE: Only 1/2 of all Americans get vaccinated to fight the flu; most are non-vaccinated children who die from influenza. ***In only 1 1/2 months of record taking, the coronavirus has killed more than 23,600 U.S. individuals and more than 582,600 cases have been recorded. (2. The coronavirus is twice as contagious as the flu. Research reflects that a person with the flu infects an average of 1.28 other people. According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, “(With the coronavirus) “It’s likely between 2 and 3 other people.” (3. People with COVID-19 infections might have a high mortality rate –one in six– among patients who are over the age of 80 and people with underlying chronic diseases such as asthma/COPD, diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart or lowered immunity situations. (4. Coronavirus victims might not show symptoms for 14 days with some giving no visible symptoms at all. During that time, the asymptomatic people still are contagious and can spread their germs to others. The coronavirus can mainly be spread through respiratory droplets from an infected person coughing or sneezing. The CDC informs us “These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into their lungs.”
MYTH 4: Healthy People Are Safe From Severe Complications.
It is estimated by the CDC that about 80% of COVID-19 fatalities will occur in those 65 and older, with the majority being older than 85. That leaves 20% of deaths that will occur in folks younger than 65. Recent data was collected in 508 hospitalized patients revealing 1 in 5 between the ages of 20 and 44. It is also noted that children are not immune to the disease. Though they may have lower numbers of having the pathogen, children are not in the clear of contacting it. “The virus can strike anyone, regardless of age,” according to wellness.com. You are all admonished to know that the risk is high, and protecting those around you is of critical importance.
MYTH 5 or NOT: The Coronavirus Was Made in a Chinese Laboratory?
Until now, most of the blame for China’s viral contaminant has come from the country’s acknowledgement of one of their Live Wet Animal Markets in Wuhan, China. Here live, and often wild, animals are sold for the purpose of being eaten. Wuhan’s Institute of Virology, a maximum security government laboratory building, is only a short distance away from the market. Chinese scientists for the past several years have been granted permission to research dangerous pathogens there. Among them is a certain species of bat known for carrying the coronavirus. Though still thought to be a possible conspiracy theory of lab involvement, recently a team of scientists conducted their own RNA analysis on the COVID-19 pathogen. Their results determined that the “backbone” of a lab-designed virus could not be found in the COVID-19. They indeed declared it to be “novel” or a new strain: “One that clearly developed naturally and jumped species (from an animal to a human) by a chance mutation.”
In the last few days of this writing (4/16/20), however, two U.S. senators have opened up investigations into the lab. Associated Press and a multiple number of reliable sources have been in communication with Fox News expressing increasing evidence that a research employee (#1 patient) could have been accidentally infected in the lab by a poisonous bat. The possibility of a botched effort for containing the virus will be studied in a bill proposed by Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. The senator is hoping that the bill will establish an International Commission for Studying the Beginning of the Coronavirus.
Stay safe at all times, no matter how healthy you feel. Remember to act from kindness and not fear. Consider all news carefully before sharing it with family and friends.
