Learn with steem | COVID-19 INFODEMIC -Myths related to Covid-19 - Part 2

Hello dear friends, i hope and wish you are all fine. As we have been caught in a trap by ongoing pandemic and therefore to get out, it seems difficult now. However, we should not give up and we must not lose hope. All of us must play role to fight against this pandemic in whatever way we can. It is not only the job of doctors and paramedics to fight against it as it is not all about treating patients. We will have to look at it in broader perspective. Let me tell you what i mean. A sane citizen staying at home, avoiding unnecessary outings is not only preventing himself from getting infected but is also preventing his family to whom he/she is in contact with and is therefore playing his role in preventing spread of disease. Similarly, a policeman stopping you on way and asking for cause of outings is doing his duty and is therefore playing his part in preventing spread of this infection. A sweeper working in hospital to keep hospital clean is doing as good job as a doctor treating covid positive patients on ventilator. The point to emphasise is that, we all have something to contribute and let's do it. What are we waiting for.

The above mentioned examples are self explanatory. Than, why i am mentioning it. We are living in an era now, where technology is evolving every second. What is happening in any corner of the world is available to watch and read at a single click of your computer, laptop or even mobile in your pocket. The information is spreading fast and so is MISINFORMATION. The sad part is that, majority of us don't take a slack to verify the information that we recieve. And it is that lazy behavior of ours that has converted this PANDEMIC into an INFODEMIC.

Keeping the rapid spread of misinformation in view, i have decided to write a blog related to Myths prevalant in our society regarding COVID-19 and also the corresponding facts. I have also written part one of the same few months ago, link is given below. Also some other information related to the disease and virus has been posted earlier, links given below. Keeping the novelty of the virus and disease in view, some of the information provided in the below mentioned parts may not be true now or may have undergone some modifications. If you encounter anything like that, feel free to comment and I'll try my best to clear that here based on latest information available to us.

This is the most common misconception that I have encountered so far in my society. Even at my home , my mom is insisting me to take tea in which Ginger is added , citing that it can prevent me from contacting covid . Similar misconception prevails about Vitamin C , vitamin D and other drugs. Let me make it clear that, no evidence as of yet exists on any drug or supplement to have been found to prevent or treat covid infection. It is a separate discussion, that these spices have very good nutritional value and are good for health . Vitamin C and D are good for immunity. If you are arguing on the basis that these drugs boost immunity and can help us fight against covid, that is acceptable but if we say that these can prevent or treat covid-19, that is a fallacy. Even after taking bulk of these drugs or supplements, chances of contacting covid is no ways reduced.

We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide .You may have heard people saying wearing masks cause suffocation, oxygen deficiency and carbon dioxide intoxication. There is no denial of the fact that, prolonged wearing of masks can be uncomfortable to you but it does not cause oxygen deficiency or Carbon dioxide intoxication, if you wear it properly.

Masks can cause more discomfort during exercise, so you can avoid wearing mask during exercise but at the same time there should be no compromise in social distancing, if you are exercising with other people around you. Better is to do your routine exercise in isolation.

I have personally witnessed this thing , that people asking me to keep wearing gloves throughout my duty period. I only wear gloves while consulting patients. Gloves can be a source of infection, if contaminated with virus . If you keep on wearing a gloves throughout , then the surfaces that you touch are likely to get contaminated and therefore infect others. Gloves must be put on only during periods of close contact with patients. Good thing is to practice frequent hand Senitization. Tthere is no harm in sanitizing your hands frequently with alcohol based hand rub or soap.

Religiions that prohibit drinking alcohol doesn't prohibit using sanitizers because it acts as a medicated substance to prevent a deadly infection.

Alcohol based hand sanitizers have been found to kill the virus by digesting the outer core of virus but drinking alcohol can be dangerous because this virus affects respiratory system. The alcohol goes into stomach and not into lungs. The virus infects lungs initially and not stomach. So be cautious.

Antibiotics are the substance that are used against bacteria. Covid is caused by virus and not bacteria. So what is the fun of using antibiotics in covid. Antibiotics are being given to patients to prevent superimposed bacterial infection and not against virus.

Virus has been seen to flourish in regions with subzero temperature as effectively as in regions with temperature greater than 40 to 50 degree celcius. There is no evidence as of yet about decrease in spread of virus over any particular range of temperature.

vaccine against pneumonia can prevent pneumonia caused due to organisms against which they are anticipated to act. As covid is caused by SARS_COV 2, for a vaccine to be effective it has to be strain specific like COVISHIELD and CoVAXIN

This is last myth from this post, so read patiently and carefully. The ongoing covid vaccines like COVISHIELD and COVAXIN going on in india and similar vaccines in other countries do not make you immune to virus. Please note that, even after getting 2 doses of vaccine, you can get infected but the chances of getting severe disease and death is significantly reduced. So get vaccinated as soon aa possible.

• To prevent infodemic from diversifying , i request you all, not to forward or share any message without checking it from authentic sources like https://www.who.int/ etc.

• To prevent epidemic from spreading, stay home , stay safe and get vaccinated asap.