Resource guide
CORONAVIRUS MYTHS
Misinformation and myths are spreading about as fast as COVID-19 itself. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Mike Moffitt did some fact checking, examining a variety of the claims. Here’s what he found out:
Your pet cat or dog might infect you with COVID-19.
FALSE. There is currently no evidence that domestic animals can spread the disease to humans.
Marijuana and/or cocaine use cures the new coronavirus. FALSE. Social media bots are suspected of spreading these baseless rumors.
Eat oranges to ward off COVID-19. FALSE. There’s no evidence that taking Vitamin C or eating fruit high in Vitamin C protects against infection.
Washing your hands vigorously and frequently is probably the best defense against infection. TRUE.
Humans contracted COVID-19 from bats. POSSIBLY. Bats have been known to harbor several types of coronaviruses. However, a viral video purportedly of a woman eating a bat in Wuhan, China, the source of the outbreak, was actually filmed in Palau, Micronesia. Some scientists think the virus jumped from bats to another animal before infecting humans. The endangered and often illegally trafficked pangolin, a scaly anteater, could be the link.
The new coronavirus is linked to eating meat. FALSE. PETA UK made this unfounded claim.
Red marine algae shows promise as a treatment for the new coronavirus. FALSE.
It may stop the virus that causes cold sores (herpes). Its suggested use as a treatment for COVID-19 is linked to “holistic” healer, Gabriel Cousens, but there’s no science to support that remedy.
Coconut oil can kill the novel
coronavirus. FALSE. A health official in the Philippines said coconut oil was “being looked into” as a possible cure. Don’t believe it.
Antibiotics are effective
against COVID-19. FALSE. Antibiotics treat bacteria, not viruses like COVID-19.
You should rub sesame oil on your skin to block the new coronavirus. FALSE. Another phony precaution. Save your sesame oil for your stir-fried vegetables.
Flushing nasal cavities with water protects against the new coronavirus. FALSE. But it may clear a stuffy nose.
Packages mailed from China are not dangerous to open.
PROBABLY NOT. The latest study suggests COVID-19 can last up to 24 hours on cardboard. But domestic sameday shipments could theoretically carry the virus.
Thermal scanners can tell if
you’re infected. FALSE. These scanners detect fevers in people, but they can’t tell if a person is infected if no fever is present. COVID-19 reportedly takes up to two weeks of incubation before manifesting symptoms, such as fever.
Spraying or rubbing alcohol or bleach over your body can
kill the virus. FALSE. Not if it’s already entered your body. It will, however, cause skin irritation. Drinking bleach potentially can be fatal.
Germicidal ultraviolet lamps can be used to sterilize your hands against COVID-19.
FALSE. UV light can cause skin irritation.
Old people are more likely to die from the new coronavirus than young. TRUE. Especially seniors with pre-existing conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and lung conditions. However, for reasons that are not yet clear, COVID-19 kills healthy young people as well.