We debunked 9 coronavirus myths (so you don't have to)

The trouble with a pandemic in the age of the internet, is that anyone can post any information or advice, at any time, and have it seen by potentially millions of people around the world.

A lot of the time, it doesn’t matter if that information contains even a grain of evidence. And while some of it is shared in good faith – i.e. people actually believe that rubbing sesame oil all over your body will save them from coronavirus – some of it isn’t, and can cause widespread confusion and potentially even put lives at risk. Did you hear the one about cow urine? Sheesh.

In a bid to help you separate fact from fiction, we’ve debunked a few of the more prevalent coronavirus myths:

Garlic is very good for you. It’s low in calories and relatively high in vitamin C, manganese and vitamin B6. It’s been linked to lower cholesterol, may prevent dementia and can help reduce blood pressure. But as the coronavirus pandemic has ramped up, there’s been increasing talk of garlic being able to combat viruses, infections and other cold- and flu-like illnesses. Unfortunately, the claims of garlic’s effectiveness on the common cold rely heavily on “poor quality evidence”, and there is certainly no evidence that it would be effective as a treatment against coronavirus. So eat your garlic, by all means – but don’t expect it to protect you.  

Social media users have been claiming that you can self-check for coronavirus by holding your breath for 10 seconds. Some even claim the information originated from a Stanford Hospital Board member (Stanford Health Care has since denied vehemently these claims). The yarn goes that if you can do it without discomfort, coughing, or tightness – you don’t have the infection.

This is, of course, wildly untrue. As per a tweet from Dr. Faheem Younus, Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Maryland: “Wrong: Most young patients with coronavirus will be able to hold their breaths for much longer than 10 seconds. And many elderly without the virus won’t be able to do it.” If you think you have symptoms, call your doctor, and follow your local government advice. 

Elsewhere on social media, people have been claiming that the virus can survive for up to one month on metal, glass, plastic or other surfaces. But similar to MERS and SARS, the science shows this virus doesn’t survive well on hard surfaces.

A recent study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that virus was undetectable on plastic after 72 hours, on stainless steel and cardboard after 48 hours, and on copper after eight hours. Other research found that it could last on surfaces for anywhere up to nine days. So go with the 72-hour to nine-day window, and keep washing those hands.

In India, cow urine and dung have long been used as a traditional remedy to help cure a range of diseases and ailments. An MP from one of India’s ruling parties even recently said she thinks cow dung can “kill the coronavirus” and many vendors around the country are diversifying their offerings to sell jars of cow pee and poo to the mass.

Alas, this wave of bovine entrepreneurialism is likely all in vain. “There is no medical evidence to show that cow urine has anti-viral characteristics,” Dr Shailendra Saxena, of the Indian Virological Society, told BBC News. In fact, engaging in the consumption of either cow urine or dung could expose you to a range of other diseases. Best to steer clear. 

It’s true that the coronavirus is deadliest for people over 80 and for those with underlying health conditions, but nobody has a 0% risk and younger people can still experience severe symptoms. Some 14.3% of infected 20-44 year olds are likely to be hospitalised, according to research by Vox.com, with 2% needing the ICU and a 0.1% fatality rate in this demographic. The risk increases dramatically for the older demographics, but – quite literally – nobody is immune to this thing. (Although there have been no fatalities in kids under 10 so far!)

Peta UK posted an article on January 31 that claiming that “coronavirus may be related to meat-eating.” While it’s true that the virus first emerged in a Chinese wet market, where humans and animals share extremely cramped quarters, and that the virus may have originated in animals, there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through food. According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand, COVID-19 is not a foodborne disease. There's no evidence to suggest people will get infected by swallowing the virus in, or on, food or drink.

Spraying your body in alcohol or chlorine – as some social media users have suggested – will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. It could also be, you know, pretty uncomfortable to be covered in either alcohol or chlorine, and it is not recommended under any circumstances, according to the World Health Organisation.

It won’t. But you will smell delicious, which could be considered a silver living.