On the heels of my no-bullshit Coronavirus explanation article which I recommend you take a quick look at, I feel the need to clarify and debunk some of the nonsense I have seen over the past few weeks.
Drinking X Will Kill the Coronavirus
Drinking Bleach Will Kill the Coronavirus
Can’t believe I have to even write this but bleach is not safe to drink.
Folks, please don’t imbibe bleaching agents, it’s beyond stupid.
Sadly, this disturbing trend has become more popular as bleach gets re-branded as “Miracle mineral supplement” or MMS and sold/promoted as a well-being supplement. It’s chlorine dioxide folks, a bleaching agent.
Source: Danger: Don’t Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products
Drinking Hot Water Kills the Virus
A fake UNICEF notice was published suggesting that drinking hot water would kill the virus.
Obviously, it doesn’t. This myth stems from flu not being able to spread as effectively in hot weather, but we don’t actually know how this strain will be impacted by environmental heat.
To actually kill the virus you need temps of 60 degrees Celcius / 140 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s way too hot in live in and needless to say, drinking hot liquids won’t actually raise your body temperature anywhere near 60 degrees.
Drinking Silver Will Kill the Virus
Colloidal silver has been proven to cause serious side effects, seizures, kidney damage as well as turning you into a smurf.
This myth started with US Televangelist Jim Bakker and sadly people have been suckered in.
Silver has no functions in the human body (unlike iron) and it has not been shown to boost the immune system nor treat infections in the body (although silver can be use externally and frequently comes as a built in balm with bandages).
Source: Toxic Substances Portal – Silver
Drinking Water Every 15 Minutes Will Flush out the Virus
Water won’t stop you or anyone else getting the virus. Period. The idea that if you’re drinking water every 15 minutes the virus will be flushed through your digestive system and killed by stomach acid is pure quackery. Absolute and utter nonsense.
Vitamin C Will Protect You From the Coronavirus
Eugh. No folks, Vitamin C will not protect you from the virus; nor will it prevent you from getting a cold.
Supplements of this sort have been utterly debunked and there is a reason why doctors don’t chow down on this stuff. Excess vitamins are flushed out by the body.
The best thing you can do to be healthy is… to be healthy. Eat a proper balanced diet, do regular exercise, and get enough sleep.
A University in Wuhan is testing giving people 60 times the recommended daily dose of Vitamin C to see what happens, but effectiveness remains to be seen and it certainly won’t make you immune to the Coronavirus.
False “Protection” from the Coronavirus
Mouthwash Will Protect You From Getting the Coronavirus
It won’t. The Coronavirus is a respiratory issue, it attacks your lungs after entering your mouth, nose, and/or eyes if droplets from coughing, sneezing, shaking hands, etc. touch your mouth, nose, or eyes (or your hands, then you touch any of these on yourself).
Thermal Scanners Detect the Coronavirus
Thermal scanners detect fever, which is one of the symptoms of the Coronavirus, but they can’t catch the actual virus itself.
Frustratingly, you can have the virus and not present any symptoms for 2 to 10 days. So if you’re not showing symptoms yet, a thermal scanner can’t possibly detect the symptom.
Flu and Pneumonia Vaccines Will Immunize You
No. No, and no again. Vaccines that work are being developed, but unlikely to be released before this outbreak hits its zenith. The COVID-19 strain is new and unique, and thus requires its own vaccine.
“Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus,” WHO state.
Taking Antibiotics Will Kill the COVID-19
It’s a virus, not a bacterial infection. If you get the virus then you may ALSO get a bacterial co-infection which will require antibiotics, but the antibiotics doesn’t deal with the virus itself.
Sesame Oil Protects You Against the Coronavirus
I have no idea where this one came from, but obviously it’s patently false.
As per the WHO (and common sense);
Sesame oil does not kill the new coronavirus.
There are some chemical disinfectants that can kill the 2019-nCoV on surfaces.
These include bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, either solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform.
However, they have little or no impact on the virus if you put them on the skin or under your nose. It can even be dangerous to put these chemicals on your skin.
Surgical Masks Will Protect You From the Coronavirus
As I said in my previous article, only properly fitted FFP2+ (FFP3, etc) masks will protect you. Those are not particularly fun to breathe through.
The standard surgical masks will not block the virus in any meaningful way due to the lack of a tight seal and their inept filtering properties.
Surgical masks are useful if you are sick to limit the spread, but as a first line of defence surgical masks are thoroughly lacking.
Other Myths About the Coronavirus
The Coronavirus is a death sentence
Have people died? Yes. It sucks, but it’s ultimately not likely to kill you based on current numbers. 80%+ of people who get the virus get a mild form of it.
Those at risk are the elderly and those with existing respiratory or other health problems.
Source: The Epidemiological Characteristics of an Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Diseases (COVID-19)
Children Can’t Get the Virus
Children can 100% get the virus, it’s just that symptoms are unlikely to be severe.
Don’t think age will stop you from getting Coronavirus, but rather focus on risk regarding symptoms and plan accordingly.
The Coronavirus Was Created Deliberately by People
I’ve seen this one a lot. Either Americans think the Chinese created it to attack America, or the Chinese think it was a bio attack by the USA.
Either option is utterly ridiculous. It’s likely this disease came from an infected animal and it mutated and consequently passed to a human.
China most certainly did not create it and if you doubt this, please explain why a country would decimate it’s own economy?
This Won’t Affect the USA!
Virus spread is exponential if it’s not nipped in the bud. Italy has put a quarter of its population on lock down just today.
The Coronavirus will 100% impact the US. The only question is – to what extent?
I would personally expect school closures, some panic buying, and limited lockdowns. This prediction is based on current information and is subject to change if the virus spreads faster than anticipated.
If more nonsense comes out I may come out with another article on more myths soon, but I have a bunch of articles on this topic planned over the next week to stem (hopefully) some of the bad information or practices being pushed as it pertains to masks, prepping, etc.
Stay safe.
Hey Thomas!
Great to see you’re back. In our area alcohol both the isopropyl and ethyl are all gone, so we make do with 1/10 bleach and 9/10 water. Just place it inside a spray bottle. Works everytime. Hope to read more articles from preppers like yourself.
Stay safe
AC
Thanks AC, I appreciate the support. Its fascinating to go back a couple of months and read comments to see how the situation has developed over time!
Excellent blog. I appreciate someone trying to spread facts instead of sensationalism. People are out there looking for a quick fix like silver solution or garlic. It’s a virus, not vampires.
Thanks for the support mate!
You ask for reason why the Chinese would create something that is negative for their own economy. Perhaps it was leaked by mistake or that it’s a convenience to help solve the aging population resulting from the one child policy that was only axed 20 years ago.
Yeah…no. These conspiracy theories just make the situation worse- on both sides. Much like certain Chinese who think its an American military operation. It’s just sowing division when we should be facing this threat collectively as a species.
Good to see y’all back, though I wish it were under different circumstances.
Be well T&E
HCA
Cheers mate, much appreciate you dropping by & I hope things are working out well for you over at knifemagazine!
its a proven fact that drinking corona beer cures coronavirus
Lol…good one!
Makes perfect sense to me.
I don’t see the issue. If people really think drinking bleach will kill the virus or prevent them from getting it, do we really want these people possibly breeding?! I say drink all the bleach you want! Matter of fact, muriatic acid works even better! Oh and on the mask thing, if things get bad and I have to go out, I’ll be wearing a mask thank you very much. Not those ridiculous hospital masks either. Real N95 construction masks. I can’t understand how stupid some people are thinking a proper rated and fitted mask wouldn’t protect them. Yet it is said if you are sick it will help prevent the spread of the virus. What the virus can only get through the mask in one direction? Why do healthcare staff wear masks if they don’t protect you? Meh, you folks do you, if or when the time comes, I’ll be wearing a mask.
I hear you. ;) I also found the government rhetoric of “you don’t need a mask but the healthcare professionals need them” to be patently absurd.
I want you to remember that mammals are the laziest of animals and people are the laziest of mammals.
50 or 60 years if I wanted facts about a subject matter, I had to make an effort to go to the library which was not close. Today, all a person has to do is “research” via the internet. “Research” is not reading the National Enquirer or Star Magazine. It is not going to a “news” website which has no street address and no author’s name on an “article”.
All that YOU learn is that people are lazy and some are truly morons. You will never be able to dispel the myths held by morons. Example. I asked my sister why all the municipal vehicles carry a bumper sticker reading: “This is no excuse for domestic abuse’. Well, she said maybe if people read the sticker they would understand it was not acceptable! Moronic!
Haha, agreed 100% BDC. What is also interesting is the source of information has shifted from traditional “news” sources to second hand mediums like facebook and other social media frameworks. Disinformation is so rampant its almost disturbing.
Hey Tom , just thought I’d add hand washing is the most effective line of defence against the virus but if you are on the go and can’t buy hand sanitizer.
1) make your own , isopropyl alcohol with aloe vera gel, just make sure the amount of alcohol is at 60% or greater, lean towards greater.
2) I can still find plenty of isopropyl alcohol where I am, I’ve taken to pouring it into a small spray bottle and spraying my hands and any surfaces I need to touch like the grocery shopping cart.
Cheers
I buy isopropyl by the gallon. For what you get, much cheaper that brand name hand sanitizers. You simply create a spray bottle and go to town on Iphones, controllers, door knobs, microwave push button, sink handles, toilet handles, light switches, keyboards, mice, steering wheel. Safer to spray than lather with soap and water. Saves a lot of time. I schedule the spray down for Sundays. Takes nearly no time. When I worked, I cleaned all the surfaces in the office during the slack time on Friday afternoon. Never rely on a cleaning service to do the job.
Thank for reply BDC…yeah I should have been using isopropyl alcohol in spray bottles years ago , and I will even once this Covid 17 epidemic is over
I got plenty of supplies mate, but good tip on the DIY hand sanitizer. Might scribble up an article later next week! On a sidenote; all alcohol is sold out in my neck of the woods and has been so for the past few weeks.