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Written by Georgi Hristov, edited by Lindsay Martin, photos by Unsplash and WHO.
Everything I am going to write about here has been taken from the official World Health Organization (WHO) website.
First and foremost, the coronavirus is a large family of viruses that have been around for a while. What the world is experiencing right now is a new strain called COVID-19.
I am going to talk about the myths surrounding COVID-19:
1. COVID-19 is more active in warmer areas in the world – Not true! – COVID-19 is active in all areas of the world!
2. People think that cold weather kills COVID-19. This is not true.
3. I am guilty of this one. A hot shower does not prevent COVID-19. It doesn’t matter how hot the shower is, your body temperature will only vary from 36.5 to 37 degrees. A very hot shower will actually burn your skin.
4. Mosquitos do not transmit COVID-19. The World Health Organization has not found any evidence of COVID-19 being transmitted through a mosquito bite to date.
5. Someone came up with the idea that a hand dryer is effective in killing COVID-19. Again, not true! A hand dryer is only effective for drying, and maybe warming your hands. For best results, just use soap and warm water.
6. We can use UV lights to kill COVID-19. The WHO does not recommend the usage of ultraviolet lights to fight coronavirus. Used extensively, this can cause skin irritation. Simply wash your hands with soap and warm water for the best results.
7. We have all heard of the magical properties of garlic. But unfortunately, garlic will not kill coronavirus. You should probably still keep eating garlic though. It has good antimicrobial properties.
More myth-busters with funky photos can be found here.
When do we use a face mask?
- WHO recommends using a mask only in specific cases:
- If you are taking care of a sick person who is suspected to have COVID-19
- To protect others from your coughs and sneezes
- Masks are only effective in combination with hand sanitizers and frequent hands washing
- You have to know how to put it on and how to take it off.
World Health Organization provided pictures for reference below:
