Fakes and truth about coronavirus. Should people worry?

Coronavirus freakout spreads much faster than the coronavirus itself. The worrywarts have put on masks and take pills as a precaution, the most thoughtless post memes, and the most resourceful started to sell the “saving” vaccine. Let’s see what happens and how to live with it.

Information about the coronavirus outbreak changes almost every hour, and besides, it is surrounded by all kinds of ridiculous rumors. Joy-pup.com has collected relevant information about the disease and effective medical advice.

What happened

At the end of last year, residents of the Chinese city of Wuhan began to suffer from pneumonia of unknown origin. A bit later, researchers found that the disease was caused by the new 2019-nCoV coronavirus. The existence of a previously unknown strain is associated with the Wuhan food market, where they sold live fish, birds, and animals.

More than 100 deaths from coronavirus (all in China) and about 6,000 cases of infection (the vast majority, again, in China) are registered in the world at the date of January 30. In this regard, the embassies of foreign states address their citizens, staying in the territory of the PRC, with a strong recommendation to leave the country as soon as possible.

The authorities’ response

According to press reports, the Chinese government is taking all possible measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Since it is believed, that not only those who visited Wuhan but also contacted people who came from there, are at risk, the city was almost completely isolated. Restrictions on entry and exit are imposed in other cities of Hubei province.

Some countries, such as France, the United States, and Canada, began to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan, and Hong Kong (the autonomous Chinese region) has forbidden entry from Mainland China. All international airports carry out a medical examination of passengers arriving from China. If they have the slightest sign of upper respiratory infection they are sent to the hospital. Other countries have recorded less than 100 cases of a new coronavirus infection and so far no deaths.

The World Health Organization is constantly monitoring the spread of the infection and there are no reasons to announce an emergency for now. It’s the last resort measured when the epidemic becomes uncontrollable. The last time an emergency was announced in 2019, during the outbreak of the Ebola virus, with which 2,000 Congo residents died. Just the other day, the head of WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, visited Beijing and noted that the Chinese government has managed to maintain control of the epidemic.

Stop being afraid

As you know, any alarming information is instantly rumored and sometimes “horror stories” do more harm than the infection itself. So, let’s debunk the most popular fakes.

The whole cities became deserted in China

Fact: On January 25 the Chinese New Year is celebrated. The streets of metropolitan cities are empty because at this time the country is on vacation and most of the residents go to their relatives to celebrate a family holiday together.

People fall down on the streets

Fact. Coronavirus is very similar to U.R.I. (upper respiratory infection) and no one dies with it on the spot. If you saw such pictures on the Internet, you need to understand that it is pure manipulation.

Bananas can spread the virus

Fact. Neither the WHO, nor the Ministry of Health, nor government officials and independent experts have ever made recommendations to refuse bananas and other fruits. Doctors remind that the virus is spread by airborne transmission, that is, from person to person. Feel free to eat bananas and other tropical fruits!

The virus may arrive wth the AliExpress parcel

Fact. In the early days of the Wuhan outbreak, AliExpress was indeed forced to state that all shipments were sanitized. Later, some local news media published that our citizens cancel orders on AliExpress in large numbers. This information wasn’t confirmed. Doctors assure that the 2019-nCoV strain is simply not able to survive outside the human or animal body, so there is no need to fear that it will arrive in a box with new headphones.

It’s necessary to drink 250 g of the strong alcoholic beverage every night as a precaution

Fact. Some people may be glad about this, but it’s not true. In fact, alcohol depresses the immune system and reduces the body’s resistance.

Gargling with a salt solution is specific for coronavirus

Fact. This rumor, like the virus itself, originated in China. It’s attributed to the famous Chinese pulmonologist Zhun Nanshan. In fact, the doctor spoke only about the importance of hygienic procedures, but the “experts” from social networks wrung words from their true meaning. They announced that the infection supposedly locates in the nasopharynx and that the saline solution will surely kill it (or drown it). But this theory wasn’t confirmed by any reliable source. In fact, the virus is transmitted not only through the respiratory tract but also through a handshake and ocular mucous membrane.

How to protect yourself from coronavirus

Panic simply won’t help, but some reasonable precautions will be helpful.

1. Wash your hands more often.
2. Eat meat and fish after thorough heating.
3. Avoid contact with people who sneeze and cough.
4. Follow the rule: “Got sick – stay at home”.
5. If you have any symptoms of acute respiratory infections, consult the doctor right away. After that, you will be able to get tested for coronavirus (there are appropriate laboratories).

Do not trust doubtful rumors and stay healthy!