Covid-19 (UPDATED 13/03/2020)
Yes, the myths and rumors are swirling like an approaching hurricane as if to accentuate the uncertainty that this new virus is bringing to the world. Already I've gotten advice from some well-wishers, forwarding to me their social media cures and preventions, almost all of which are false. And if you've gotten such advice as well, don't feel alone. Concern and panic (that worrisome buying of pallets of toilet paper and portable water, not to mention the food, matches and signs you'll need to tell delivery people and friends that you are absolutely not coming out of your house no matter what!!!) is exacerbated by our rapid communication which make it difficult to know what is and isn't true. Will warmer weather kill off the virus? (so far it appears the answer is no as shown by Singapore's warming temps and yet still showing new cases of infection said STAT). Will taking antibiotics help? (probably not since this is a virus and not a bacterial infection). And with all of this going on, did President Trump really cut the budget for the CDC and the National Institute of Health? (unfortunately it would appear so as it's again in his proposed budget for 2020 said Forbes) Bottom line, it's quite complicated to sort through what is and isn't to be believed. And while I am certainly no expert and have ZERO medical background, I did feel that it was important to at least provide what I feel are those places that can give you both current AND accurate information so that you can keep up with this fast moving virus that is puzzling even scientists (the STAT video link above will give you a quick summary of the properly named SARS-CoV-2).
So first, this somewhat elongated myth-buster from NBC's page; there are many such pages but this piece summed up many of the most recent false "prevention" methods making the social media rounds (such as the fake "bulletin" that went viral saying that drinking or sipping water will prevent you from catching the corona virus). A few excerpts: CLAIM: Everyone should ensure that their mouth and throat is moist and never dry. Take sips of water every 15 minutes because even if the virus gets into your mouth by drinking water or liquids, it will wash the virus down through your esophagus and into your stomach where your stomach acid will kill the virus...THE FACTS: Drinking water prevents dehydration but will not prevent anyone from catching the new coronavirus. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University, said the claims are incorrect; CLAIM: Chlorine dioxide will help get rid of the new virus from China...AP’S ASSESSMENT: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against ingesting the bleaching agent (which) can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and symptoms of severe dehydration; CLAIM: Surgical masks protect against the new coronavirus...THE FACTS: Medical masks alone cannot protect against being infected with the new coronavirus. WHO advised that the masks should be worn by those showing symptoms of coughing and difficulty breathing, so they don’t spread disease to others. There is no evidence that masks protect people who are not sick; CLAIM: The new coronavirus can cause 50 percent fibrosis of the lungs...THE FACTS: False. Experts say there is no evidence that the new virus causes fibrosis. Dr. Robert Legare Atmar, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, said patients have not been shown to have fibrosis, which occurs when lung tissue begins scarring. The virus has been known in more serious cases to cause pneumonia, severe respiratory syndrome or kidney failure, but not fibrosis; CLAIM: Colloidal silver products can help prevent or protect against the new coronavirus from China...THE FACTS: The silver solution has no known benefits in the body when it is ingested, according to officials with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal scientific research agency. Colloidal silver is made up of silver particles suspended in a liquid; CLAIM: Symptoms of new coronavirus include vomiting blood...THE FACTS: In late January, a video circulated on Facebook with a caption saying that a man on a train in China began vomiting blood after being infected with the new coronavirus. The video was actually a year old and showed the man battling liver cancer; CLAIM: Coronavirus changes the color of human blood...THE FACTS: The video, which circulated widely on TikTok, showed a man in a lab coat supposedly testing two blood samples. He showed one sample in a test tube saying the blood looked “bright red, healthy and clear.” He then showed a sample from what he describes as “patient zero” where the blood appears purple. The creator of the video said it was meant to be satire.
We live in an era of false or misleading information, often posted by people either meaning well or perhaps just seeking attention. A quick check on the internet will lead you to hundreds if not thousands of sites claiming to have "the latest." The truth is that by sticking with just the legitimate medical or biomedical sites (and not the ones with new names which may sound official but have likely only been created recently) may prove to be your best bet for daily or weekly updates. Herewith is my own short list of sites I would recommend: CDC (Center for Disease Control) -- despite their reduced budget this government organization works diligently to keep the public informed with simple and current updates and explanations; STAT -- presenting a series of free online letters, this health and biotech reporting service scans multiple medical and scientific journals; The Conversation -- while not specifically devoted to health or medical issues, this free daily newsletter helps to keep you updated on what is going on around the world in many areas and topics; NPR (National Public Radio) and the BBC (British Broadcast Corp.) -- again, more generalized but well-researched outlets for keeping up with topics from health to politics to environmental challenges. And finally WHO (World Health Organization) -- this worldwide group based in Geneva operates in over 150 countries
While this is a shorter post than others, I felt that it was important to try and quell many of the "false cures" and preventative measures making the rounds. It's okay to be cautious and careful, and likely a good practice to wash your hands more often. But it is also up to you to do the research and to separate what sites are valid and what sites are there to just increase your anxiety or worse, give you the impression that you're protected when in fact you may be doing yourself harm. Scammers are working extra hard to get you to click on an "official" virus-update link so that they can plant malware into your computer (to check the origination of an email that looks authentic but which also raises your suspicions, simply click on the "properties" tab of the email and it will show you the return path; such bogus emails and bulletins arrive almost daily and often make it past your anti-virus and malware programs so it pays to be cautious). This virus --so far-- appears to be different than other viruses (such as the influenza virus); but then just when we thought we knew the dengue virus, we discovered that it was and is adapting far more quickly than we realized. Take this excerpt from an article that appeared in Fortune: Dengue virus comes in four similar but distinct varieties, known as Dengue serotypes 1 through 4. When individuals get a first dengue infection, they develop lifelong immunity from the infecting strain. For a brief period of time, they also enjoy protection from the other three. But that cross-protection wears off --after a period of anywhere from two months to two years-- and the individual becomes vulnerable to getting more severely ill on a second infection. That's why it's the second infection that health officials worry about. People tend to get only mildly sick or not sick at all after their first dengue infection, and for some reason, they hardly ever get sick on their third or fourth. The worst, life-threatening cases of dengue, the ones with plasma leakage that could lead to hemorrhagic fever or shock, almost always result from a second exposure...To make matters more complicated, all four stereotypes are constantly commingling in most dengue-endemic countries, meaning the changes are higher for a second infection to occur. (So is the likelihood of a genetic mutation, which could produce a more virulent virus) Dengue is passed on by one species of mosquito and has appeared (and often disappeared) in places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Latin American & Asian countries.
This new virus is just that, new; it is challenging, not only for biomedical scientists but also for our bodies which are constantly adapting and adjusting to this new "invader." This is the time to trust your instincts and to help your body by the doing the usual precautions of getting enough rest, avoiding added stress, washing your hands, and using common sense. Most importantly, stay informed via the proper channels. We are now well into a brave new world but this time it may be not be up to us to decide just who or what is really meant to be here.
UPDATE: The Atlantic is making its updated information on the virus available to the general public; their pieces are simple and yet thorough and come at a time when scientists are still wondering what to make of this virus...will heat affect it, does it "shed," is it mutating, does it pass back to animals (so far, only one case in Hong Kong), will Trump agree to be tested (he recently met with someone from Brazil who tested positive) and if not how many other world leaders is he possible infecting, what will happen to the economy as events continue to be cancelled (think of the cleaners, vendors and businesses that also depend on large sporting events, concerts, conventions and such), will people without insurance or who are illegal even go to a doctor or hospital, is there an age limit for the virus, does Purell hand sanitizer come in several versions (yes, one with the effective 70% alcohol so check your bottles), does the virus stay in your body for more than 30 days (so far yes)? So many questions and the discoveries seem to be coming in daily...the bottom line is that this is a new virus so everything is on the table. Stay informed and don't panic (I went to a Costco and it was as if a war had been declared with dry and frozen goods mostly sold out; even 20-year employees told me that they had never seen anything like this panic buying)...try to be careful and maintain your calm and common sense. Wash your hands often, watch out for scammers (yes, they're so prolific now that even our government has set up a special unit to try and slow the pace of new scams offering masks and sanitizers), avoid large crowds (my mistake in going to Costco), know the signs and symptoms and what to do, and keep up to date. Your job now is to first take care of yourself by using preventative measures so as to not infect others...think of others and help to stop the contagion. STAY INFORMED and follow only reliable sources...
So first, this somewhat elongated myth-buster from NBC's page; there are many such pages but this piece summed up many of the most recent false "prevention" methods making the social media rounds (such as the fake "bulletin" that went viral saying that drinking or sipping water will prevent you from catching the corona virus). A few excerpts: CLAIM: Everyone should ensure that their mouth and throat is moist and never dry. Take sips of water every 15 minutes because even if the virus gets into your mouth by drinking water or liquids, it will wash the virus down through your esophagus and into your stomach where your stomach acid will kill the virus...THE FACTS: Drinking water prevents dehydration but will not prevent anyone from catching the new coronavirus. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University, said the claims are incorrect; CLAIM: Chlorine dioxide will help get rid of the new virus from China...AP’S ASSESSMENT: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against ingesting the bleaching agent (which) can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and symptoms of severe dehydration; CLAIM: Surgical masks protect against the new coronavirus...THE FACTS: Medical masks alone cannot protect against being infected with the new coronavirus. WHO advised that the masks should be worn by those showing symptoms of coughing and difficulty breathing, so they don’t spread disease to others. There is no evidence that masks protect people who are not sick; CLAIM: The new coronavirus can cause 50 percent fibrosis of the lungs...THE FACTS: False. Experts say there is no evidence that the new virus causes fibrosis. Dr. Robert Legare Atmar, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, said patients have not been shown to have fibrosis, which occurs when lung tissue begins scarring. The virus has been known in more serious cases to cause pneumonia, severe respiratory syndrome or kidney failure, but not fibrosis; CLAIM: Colloidal silver products can help prevent or protect against the new coronavirus from China...THE FACTS: The silver solution has no known benefits in the body when it is ingested, according to officials with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal scientific research agency. Colloidal silver is made up of silver particles suspended in a liquid; CLAIM: Symptoms of new coronavirus include vomiting blood...THE FACTS: In late January, a video circulated on Facebook with a caption saying that a man on a train in China began vomiting blood after being infected with the new coronavirus. The video was actually a year old and showed the man battling liver cancer; CLAIM: Coronavirus changes the color of human blood...THE FACTS: The video, which circulated widely on TikTok, showed a man in a lab coat supposedly testing two blood samples. He showed one sample in a test tube saying the blood looked “bright red, healthy and clear.” He then showed a sample from what he describes as “patient zero” where the blood appears purple. The creator of the video said it was meant to be satire.
We live in an era of false or misleading information, often posted by people either meaning well or perhaps just seeking attention. A quick check on the internet will lead you to hundreds if not thousands of sites claiming to have "the latest." The truth is that by sticking with just the legitimate medical or biomedical sites (and not the ones with new names which may sound official but have likely only been created recently) may prove to be your best bet for daily or weekly updates. Herewith is my own short list of sites I would recommend: CDC (Center for Disease Control) -- despite their reduced budget this government organization works diligently to keep the public informed with simple and current updates and explanations; STAT -- presenting a series of free online letters, this health and biotech reporting service scans multiple medical and scientific journals; The Conversation -- while not specifically devoted to health or medical issues, this free daily newsletter helps to keep you updated on what is going on around the world in many areas and topics; NPR (National Public Radio) and the BBC (British Broadcast Corp.) -- again, more generalized but well-researched outlets for keeping up with topics from health to politics to environmental challenges. And finally WHO (World Health Organization) -- this worldwide group based in Geneva operates in over 150 countries
While this is a shorter post than others, I felt that it was important to try and quell many of the "false cures" and preventative measures making the rounds. It's okay to be cautious and careful, and likely a good practice to wash your hands more often. But it is also up to you to do the research and to separate what sites are valid and what sites are there to just increase your anxiety or worse, give you the impression that you're protected when in fact you may be doing yourself harm. Scammers are working extra hard to get you to click on an "official" virus-update link so that they can plant malware into your computer (to check the origination of an email that looks authentic but which also raises your suspicions, simply click on the "properties" tab of the email and it will show you the return path; such bogus emails and bulletins arrive almost daily and often make it past your anti-virus and malware programs so it pays to be cautious). This virus --so far-- appears to be different than other viruses (such as the influenza virus); but then just when we thought we knew the dengue virus, we discovered that it was and is adapting far more quickly than we realized. Take this excerpt from an article that appeared in Fortune: Dengue virus comes in four similar but distinct varieties, known as Dengue serotypes 1 through 4. When individuals get a first dengue infection, they develop lifelong immunity from the infecting strain. For a brief period of time, they also enjoy protection from the other three. But that cross-protection wears off --after a period of anywhere from two months to two years-- and the individual becomes vulnerable to getting more severely ill on a second infection. That's why it's the second infection that health officials worry about. People tend to get only mildly sick or not sick at all after their first dengue infection, and for some reason, they hardly ever get sick on their third or fourth. The worst, life-threatening cases of dengue, the ones with plasma leakage that could lead to hemorrhagic fever or shock, almost always result from a second exposure...To make matters more complicated, all four stereotypes are constantly commingling in most dengue-endemic countries, meaning the changes are higher for a second infection to occur. (So is the likelihood of a genetic mutation, which could produce a more virulent virus) Dengue is passed on by one species of mosquito and has appeared (and often disappeared) in places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Latin American & Asian countries.
This new virus is just that, new; it is challenging, not only for biomedical scientists but also for our bodies which are constantly adapting and adjusting to this new "invader." This is the time to trust your instincts and to help your body by the doing the usual precautions of getting enough rest, avoiding added stress, washing your hands, and using common sense. Most importantly, stay informed via the proper channels. We are now well into a brave new world but this time it may be not be up to us to decide just who or what is really meant to be here.
UPDATE: The Atlantic is making its updated information on the virus available to the general public; their pieces are simple and yet thorough and come at a time when scientists are still wondering what to make of this virus...will heat affect it, does it "shed," is it mutating, does it pass back to animals (so far, only one case in Hong Kong), will Trump agree to be tested (he recently met with someone from Brazil who tested positive) and if not how many other world leaders is he possible infecting, what will happen to the economy as events continue to be cancelled (think of the cleaners, vendors and businesses that also depend on large sporting events, concerts, conventions and such), will people without insurance or who are illegal even go to a doctor or hospital, is there an age limit for the virus, does Purell hand sanitizer come in several versions (yes, one with the effective 70% alcohol so check your bottles), does the virus stay in your body for more than 30 days (so far yes)? So many questions and the discoveries seem to be coming in daily...the bottom line is that this is a new virus so everything is on the table. Stay informed and don't panic (I went to a Costco and it was as if a war had been declared with dry and frozen goods mostly sold out; even 20-year employees told me that they had never seen anything like this panic buying)...try to be careful and maintain your calm and common sense. Wash your hands often, watch out for scammers (yes, they're so prolific now that even our government has set up a special unit to try and slow the pace of new scams offering masks and sanitizers), avoid large crowds (my mistake in going to Costco), know the signs and symptoms and what to do, and keep up to date. Your job now is to first take care of yourself by using preventative measures so as to not infect others...think of others and help to stop the contagion. STAY INFORMED and follow only reliable sources...
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