With the emergence of a new strain of coronavirus, already known as COVID-19, the world has entered a general state of alert and, in some cases, even panic, in recent weeks.
In some ways, this situation is not new. In the history of humanity there have been other times when a disease has awakened the most atavistic instincts of our nature, many of which are manifested in unreasonable ways, as if the unexpected risk of death arouses elements of our psyche and our behavior that make us forget the assurance in reason, truth, informed knowledge among others.
In the case of COVID-19, to date there are already several beliefs that are false. Paradoxically, in an age that was once called the “information society” or the “knowledge age,” fake news, rumors, lack of verification, propaganda, and other forms of lies continue to exist. And spreading, perhaps even more easily than before.
Misconception: “Face masks do not protect against coronavirus”
Actuality: Any virus can penetrate the fabric and almost all the materials from which the most common medical masks are made of, however, that does not mean that these accessories are completely useless, because although they do not protect against the virus itself, On the other hand, they can almost completely prevent contact with the saliva of infected people, which significantly reduces the risk of transmission.
Recall that, in the case of COVID-19, the main means of transmission of the virus is precisely the saliva expelled by a person infected by coughing or sneezing.
Misconception: “The coronavirus is not as lethal as it has been made to appear.”
Actuality: This statement is somewhat controversial, since the idea of “lethality” would have to be defined precisely before. So far, the death rate from the COVID-19 coronavirus continues to remain close to 4% (that is, for every 100 people infected, around 4 lose their lives, while 96 recover their health), which can be considered relatively low. The AIDS virus, for example, has a death rate of about 50%.
However, as seen in countries like China and more recently in Italy, the notion of “lethality” may have other nuances if one takes into account, for example, the ease with which COVID-19 is spread. According to some estimates, given its transmission capacity, COVID-19 could be up to 10 times more deadly than seasonal flu, which kills between 290,000 and 650,000 people a year worldwide.
Misconception: “Coronavirus affects only the elderly”
Actuality: This statement is not only false, but also dangerous, since especially the younger sectors of the population may feel some invulnerability to the virus and, therefore, ignore the importance of the situation and behave irresponsibly.
In a way, no one is exempt from getting the coronavirus or, in other words, anyone can be a virus-transmitting agent even if they have not developed the symptoms of the disease.
Hence the importance of adopting basic preventive measures such as constant hand washing, the correct way to sneeze (in a handkerchief or other preventive material.)
Misconception: “A coronavirus vaccine will be ready in the coming months”
Actuality: So far there is no laboratory in the world that has developed an effective vaccine against COVID-19. It is true that the genome of the virus has already been synthesized, however, this has so far not led to an effective treatment against the disease it causes.
On the other hand, it is necessary to take into account that laboratory work has specific procedures that involve several stages before being able to test certain drugs on humans, which in turn almost always precedes several months from the moment in which a result is ready for government approval and to be publicly marketed.
Taking into account what happened with other viruses, it is likely that a vaccine for COVID-19 will be available on the market within a year.
Misconception: “Coronavirus can arrive in a package shipped from China”
Fact: As with other types of coronaviruses, COVID-19 survives almost exclusively in mediums such as the human mucosa and other related ones. On surfaces with other conditions it can be found, but only for short periods.
For these reasons, it is virtually impossible for COVID-19 to survive on an object packed and shipped from China to another destination isolated for several hours (and even days or months) of travel.
Misconception: “The pandemic involves a critical and panic state”
Actuality: “Pandemic” is a term used in medicine to speak of a disease that has spread to many countries or, that has in a single area affected almost all the people who are present in it. That said, it is a merely descriptive notion in which other realities are not necessarily involved, such as the severity of the disease, the number of deaths it causes or the difficulties in coping with it.
Hence, it is worth seizing the idea of a “pandemic” with a certain calm and, above all, with real facts, not with irrational and instinctive panic.
Misconception: “COVID-19 is an invention of pharmaceutical companies, companies or some governments”
Actuality: As in the case of other modern diseases, the emergence of the COVID-19 coronavirus has also awakened countless conspiracy theories regarding its origin and the alleged purposes for which it appeared into the world.
One of the most widespread theories so far blames Bill Gates for some obscure reason for the “creation” of COVID-19, claiming that the billionaire founder of Microsoft financed the projects from which the virus arose.
It has also been said that the virus was designed in a laboratory and later released in China with the aim of destabilizing the economy of that country, within the framework of the so-called “trade war” that exists between the giant of the East and the United States.
A third, very popular assumption dictates that some governments have a cure for the disease but are not yet ready to release it to the public, thereby creating high demand for the product and increasing the profit margin for pharmaceutical companies.
The truth is that none of these theories can be supported by verifiable data.
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To learn more myths about the coronavirus COVID-19 (and the truth about it) visit the World Health Organization site (at this link) .
