5 posts about coronavirus you should NOT be sharing

While misinformation spreads rapidly across social media about the coronavirus, we take a look at five of the most popular posts according to queries we are receiving.

For a full round-up of articles about coronavirus, see here.

“Internal hospital email” about holding breath for 10 seconds, sunbathing and more

The simplest way to distinguish Coronavirus from a Common Cold is that the COVID-19 infection does not cause a cold nose or cough with cold, but it does create a dry and rough cough.
The virus is typically first installed in the throat causing inflammation and a feeling of dryness. This symptom can last between 3 and 4 days.
The virus typically then travels through the moisture present in the airways, goes down to the trachea and installs in the lungs, causing pneumonia that lasts about 5 or 6 days.
Pneumonia manifests with a high fever and difficulty breathing. The Common Cold is not accompanied, but there may be a choking sensation. In this case, the doctor should be called immediately.
Experts suggest doing this simple verification every morning: Breathe in deeply and hold your breath for 10 seconds. If this can be done without coughing, without difficulty, this shows that there is no fibrosis in the lungs, indicating the absence of infection. It is recommended to do this control every morning to help detect infection.
Prevention:
The virus hates heat and dies if it is exposed to temperatures greater than 80°F (27°C). Therefore hot drinks such as infusions, broths or simply hot water should be consumed abundantly during the day. These hot liquids kill the virus and are easy to ingest.
Avoid drinking ice water or drinks with ice cubes.
Ensure that your mouth and throat are always wet, never DRY. You should drink a sip of water at least every 15 minutes. WHY? Even when the virus enters water or other liquids through the mouth, it will get flushed through the oesophagus directly into the stomach where gastric acids destroy the virus. If there is not enough water, the virus can pass into the trachea and from there to the lungs, where it is very dangerous.
For those who can, sunbathe. The Sun’s UV rays kill the virus and the vitamin D is good for you.
The Coronavirus has a large size (diameter of 400-500 nanometers) so face masks can stop it, no special face masks are needed in daily life.
If an infected person sneezes near us, stay 10 feet (3.3 meters) away to allow the virus fall to the ground and prevent it from falling on you.
When the virus is on hard surfaces, it survives about 12 hours, therefore when hard surfaces such as doors, appliances, railings, etc. are touched, hands should be washed thoroughly and/or disinfected with alcoholic gel
The virus can live nested in clothes and tissues between 6 and 12 hours. Common detergents can kill it. Things that cannot be washed should be exposed to the Sun and the virus will die.
The transmission of the virus usually occurs by direct infection, touching fabrics, tissues or materials on which the virus is present. Washing your hands is essential.
The virus survives on our hands for only about 10 minutes. In that time many things can happen, rubbing the eyes, touching the nose or lips. This allows the virus to enter your throat. Therefore, for your good and the good of all, wash your hands very often and disinfect them.
You can gargle with disinfectant solutions (i.e. Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide) that eliminate or minimize the amount of virus that can enter the throat. Doing so removes the virus before it goes down to the trachea and then to the lungs.
Disinfect things touched often: cellphone, keyboard, mouse, car steering wheel, door handles, etc

A number of long winded messages claiming to list preventative measures to avoid coronavirus have been circulating social media. The above is one such prolific example, often attributed to St. George Hospital or the Princess of Wales hospital.

While it contains some accurate information, it also makes many erroneous claims, such as a runny nose is not a symptom of coronavirus (it can be,) holding your breath for more than 10 seconds can diagnose coronavirus (it can’t,) drinking hot water can prevent coronavirus (no evidence to support that,) sunbathing will kill the virus (it won’t,) and people should avoid drinking ice cold water (again, no evidence.)

We’ve discussed this message in more detail here.

Audio clip from “Dr. Negrin hospital” about drinking hot liquids, sipping water every 20 seconds and more

An audio clip apparently from someone whose colleague’s friend who worked at “Dr. Negrin hospital” is another mixed bag of truth, unproven statements and falsehoods about coronavirus.

For example, this message also recommends drinking hot liquids to prevent coronavirus (no evidence,) and also sipping water every 20 seconds can prevent coronavirus (no it can’t,) gargling with anti-septic can ward of the virus (no, it can’t) and eating fruit and vegetables will help prevent the coronavirus (not really.)

We discussed the article in more detail here.

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Vienna laboratory conclude all COVID-19 victims ingested Ibuprofen?

Information from Vienna’s laboratory studying COVID-19 and vast majority of people who died of it, had ibuprofen in their system so do not take it!! Those who recovered did not take ibuprofen so if you have symptoms, take Paracetamol only!! Looks like this virus thrives on ibuprofen so don’t do it and tell everyone you can!!!!

As we write this, some experts are disagreeing on the effects of drugs like Ibuprofen and how they could potentially worsen a person’s ability to ward of the coronavirus. Some experts claim Ibuprofen could potentially lessen a person’s immune system, while others claim this assertion still lacks evidence.

Regardless of this controversy, many claims have grossly exaggerated the effect of Ibuprofen on the coronavirus. One such claim describes a purported study by a “laboratory in Vienna” that apparently concluded that all COVID-19 victims had Ibuprofen in their system. However this claim was false, and the Medical University of Vienna subsequently dismissed the claim. We debunk the claim here in more detail.

Gargling warm salty water to prevent coronavirus

The assertion that gargling water has been attached to a number of fake social media claims, and this one is one of the most popular. Despite the popularity of this claim, there is no evidence that gargling water, or salty water (or vinegar, as other claims mention) will have any negligible effect on preventing the coronavirus. The core claim of the above image that the virus is exclusively in the throat and vulnerable to simply being washed away is false.

We discuss this claim in more detail here.

Helicopters disinfecting areas at a specific time

Tonight from 11:40pm nobody should be on the street. Doors and windows should remain closed as 5 helicopters spray disinfectants into the air to eradicate the coronavirus. Please process this information to all of your contacts

A message that has a number of people quite alarmed is the claim that authorities will be mass disinfecting a particular area, and that residents should make sure they are indoors with their doors and windows shut by a particular time, usually 11.40pm or 11.30pm. The messages have been attributed to a number of areas, and have been dismissed by many local or national authorities. We debunk the claim in more detail here.

These are only five of the most popular posts going around spreading falsehoods about coronavirus. We have some pointers on how to spot fake coronavirus posts here.