With any problem, there’s a whole load of fake news that comes with it. The same goes for the Corona pandemic.
People love forwarding us information, and that too without taking the time to check its authenticity. There has been so much misinformation going around, from Coronavirus myths to desi toktay on how to take care of this virus, that it becomes hard to know what’s legit and what’s not.
Of course, this makes for some great meme material. While the rational folks among us do our own research and acknowledge that social media disseminates fake news, there are also many of us who don’t.
So here’s a list of a few memes …. we mean Coronavirus myths to watch out for.
Vampire Cure
Some people mixed up their cures and started believing that using garlic is enough to banish coronavirus. That’s just absurd, what we need is wolfsbane and silver,
Actually, there’s no vaccine for coronavirus yet.
Haldi Doodh, a Cure-All
Desi science is not fact-based. It’s just a force of habit really. Although turmeric (haldi) is good for you, it does not treat COVID-19 (despite what your grandparents tell you).
Social Distancing is For Wimps
There’s also this rumor going around that since Coronavirus is a ‘boomer doomer,’ the young are free to go about life. Not exactly.
If you get coronavirus, chances are that you may get lung damage. Even terrorist organizations know better now.
Magic Diets
No, just no. Despite this being a zoonotic disease, giving up meat is not a cure. Neither are all the other diets telling you to eat more fruits and greens, and burning a certain amount of calories every day.
Stay at home, and don’t hit the gym for now.
Flush it Out
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar: If you drink hot water regularly Coronavirus won't damage your lungs, it will go in your stomach and get killed. pic.twitter.com/4DkPHlV1iT
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) March 19, 2020
Yes, water is the key to life on this planet, but it doesn’t flush out the virus. Staying hydrated doesn’t make the virus go into your stomach rather than your lungs.
Once it’s inside, it’s inside. And that is why social distancing is better than any cure.
Faith Will Save You
In case you don’t know by now, a Islamic scholar said that Coronavirus is an ‘Azaab’ (curse) from Allah. Furthermore, believers need not worry, because you can’t catch this cold.
This news went around on desi Twitter like wildfire. That same Islamic scholar later tested positive for the disease. Guess that lesson alone teaches a lot.
The Right Sterilizer
https://twitter.com/MahnoorPK_/status/1239490259605434374
All those myths about standard sterilization techniques working for COVID-19 are untrue. From sterilizing surfaces with sunshine to killing the virus with salt. Sunlight doesn’t even kill regular germs.
As for salt, that’s not even good for salt circles on a full-moon. There’s a whole list of Coronavirus myths that could fall under this one.
Longing for Summer
All that talk of the Coronavirus pandemic subsiding in summer is just speculation. WHO has already revealed the virus can beat the heat and humidity.
How else do you think a temperate country like South Africa is hit by the pandemic?
Breathing Exercises
Here's another way to check for Coronavirus. If you can hold your breath for more than 3 minutes, you're more than clear from the test. Furthermore, you can become a Navy Diver.https://t.co/kXETqH0QUD
— Jose Machado🇺🇸🇨🇺 (@JoseMac67851698) March 13, 2020
Not being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds to three minutes, that does not mean you just have a common cough. You’ll never know for sure if you’re COVID-19 positive until you get tested.
What should we believe in?
The bottom line is please only rely on information from trusted sources like the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO has been keeping us updated on everything from the extent of spread….
"WHO continues to recommend that isolating, testing and treating every suspected #COVID19 case, and tracing every contact, must be the backbone of the response in every country. This is the best hope of preventing widespread community transmission"-@DrTedros #coronavirus
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 18, 2020
To the progress on creating a vaccine and getting the facts straight on which medication is working and which isn’t.
"Multiple small trials with different methods may not give us the clear, strong evidence we need about which treatments help to save lives.
WHO & partners are organizing a study in many countries in which some of these untested treatments are compared with each other"-@DrTedros— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 18, 2020
WHO also tells ys how healthier people with mild symptoms can care for themselves at home. It’s no secret that our healthcare system is not equipped to handle the burden of a large number of cases. So leave the hospital ventilators and wards for the elderly.
"If health facilities are at risk of being overwhelmed, people with mild #COVID19 disease can be cared for at home.
Although this is not the ideal situation, WHO has advice on our website for how home-care can be provided as safely as possible"-@DrTedros #coronavirus
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 18, 2020
