{"id":1556,"date":"2020-10-10T11:52:07","date_gmt":"2020-10-10T11:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/?p=1556"},"modified":"2020-10-10T11:52:07","modified_gmt":"2020-10-10T11:52:07","slug":"covid-19-infodemic-the-spread-of-misinformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/?p=1556","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 \u2018Infodemic\u2019 \u2013 The Spread of Misinformation"},"content":{"rendered":"

COVID-19 has been causing havoc throughout the world for the last nine months, with little sign of slowing down. With cases steadily rising, the current global total is 28.4 million as of September 12th. With the United States, India, and Brazil filling in the top three most infected countries with 6.4 million, 4.6 million, and 4.2 million, respectively (John Hopkins University<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Nepal has recently seen a surge in cases as the country has battled to get the virus under control. The country recorded its highest single-day infection on Friday, September 12, with 1,454 new cases, totaling 51,919 cases and 322 deaths (The Himalayan Times<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n

Medical researchers and professionals, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have been working tirelessly to understand the mechanics of the virus to develop measures to slow the spread, spot the warning signs, and educate the public regarding the deadly virus. However, as noted by the director of the Infectious Hazards Management Department at the\u00a0World Health Organization<\/a>, Sylvie Briand, with every epidemic, there is an \u2018infodemic\u2019. The director describes this as an overabundance of information that makes it difficult for people to differentiate between good information and bad information.<\/p>\n

The spread of misinformation has caused mass confusion, resulting in people not adhering to recommended measures by leading health professionals and organizations. The misinformation has compounded the difficulties of being able to fight the spread of the virus around \"\" the world. Nepal and countries alike have seen its fair share of misinformation, both by its citizens and government officials. This article will examine some of the most common misconceptions and \u2018myths\u2019 around the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Does Weather Affect the Transmission of The Virus?<\/strong><\/p>\n

False!<\/strong>\u00a0The normal human body temperature usually falls between 36.5 0<\/sup>C and 37 0<\/sup>C, regardless of the external temperature or weather. This fact about human body temperature means the changing of the seasons, sitting in the snow, or taking hot baths or shower will not affect the virus and will not protect you from contracting it (WHO<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The myth behind weather and changing from hot and cold places is further disputed when examining countries around the world that currently have infections. Whereas, there are presently countries that have cold climates like Russia and hot climates like India that are seeing high rises of transmission.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Can Mosquitoes Transmit COVID-19?<\/strong><\/p>\n

False!\u00a0<\/strong>There have been no confirmed cases or evidence to suggest that mosquitos can transmit the corona virus. IstitutoSuperiore di Sanita (ISS) in Italy, confirmed that both the tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus<\/em>)\u2014known for transmitting other diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya, and dengue fever\u2014and the common mosquito (Culex pipiens<\/em>) were unable to transmit the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Furthermore, ISS stated that the virus, once ingested by the mosquito, was unable to replicate and thus inoculated by the mosquito (ISS<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Tark Jasarevic, a WHO spokesman, also confirmed that mosquito transmission was a myth. Jasarevic stated that it was impossible, because the virus does not widely circulate in the blood, and is more prevalent in the lungs and the respiratory tract (ProPublica<\/a>).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Can Water Transmit The SARS-CoV-2 Virus?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

False!<\/strong>\u00a0According to the\u00a0Center for Disease Control<\/a>\u00a0(CDC), there is no evidence of the corona virus being able to spread through water in pools, hot tubs, spas, or water play areas. The CDC further stated that proper operation and maintenance (including disinfection with chlorine) of the bodies of water listed above should inactive the virus in the water. The issue with swimming pools and other bodies of water is that, these activities bring you in close proximity to other people, thus increasing your risk to infection.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Can COVID-19 Be Transmitted Through Wastewater?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Uncertain!<\/strong>\u00a0Although the virus cannot spread through water, it\u2019s important to note that experts around the world are at odds regarding the spread of the virus through sewage systems. The CDC on their website stated, \u201cResearchers do not know whether this virus can cause disease if a person is exposed to untreated wastewater or sewage systems.\u201d The WHO also expressed uncertainty. Whereas, the \u2018Status of environmental surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 virus<\/a>\u2019 stated that there is no conclusive evidence that refutes the transmission of the virus through wastewater. Nepal\u2019s Ministry of Health and Population, however, has claimed that the virus cannot spread through wastewater, dismissing the WHO report listed above (Nepali Sansar<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n

More research needs to be conducted to understand the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus further. With a lack of data from around the world, experts are still unsure if the virus can be transmitted through wastewater.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Will Bleach and Other Disinfectants protect me from COVID-19?<\/strong><\/p>\n

False!\u00a0<\/strong>Bleach was once touted by the president of the United States, Donald Trump, as being an effective means of protection against the virus (BBC<\/a>). However, WHO and health experts around the world have quickly countered that statement and warned against introducing bleach and other disinfectants into your body. WHO further explained that bleach and other disinfectants will not protect people from the virus.<\/p>\n

Bleach and other disinfectants can be poisonous if ingested, and cause irritation and lead to respiratory failure, liver failure, and abnormal heart rhythms, among other potentially life-threatening conditions. There have been reports of bleach being used in countries like China<\/a>,\u00a0India<\/a>,\u00a0Nepal<\/a>, and\u00a0Peru<\/a>. Additionally, there have been reports of countries using them extensively outdoors to disinfect large areas, like the ones from\u00a0Spain<\/a>,\u00a0claiming disinfectants were used on an entire beach to ward off the virus.<\/p>\n

Even though there have been numerous warnings about the use of bleach and disinfectants, people continue to use it to combat the virus. It is crucial to understand the damaging effects disinfectants can have on your body. According to WHO, bleach should only be used to disinfect surfaces, and kept safely away from children.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Just the Facts<\/strong><\/p>\n

SARS-CoV-2 virus, or better known as COVID-19, is a zoonic virus that originated from a wholesale food market in Wuhan, China. It is a respiratory disease that is passed on through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. People can also be infected by touching a contaminated surface and then their eyes, mouth, or nose. Individuals that are infected can be asymptomatic or symptomatic and still be able to pass the virus on to others. The most effective way to combat the spread of the virus is by social distancing, frequent and proper handwashing, and wearing masks. There is currently no vaccine or other means of controlling the virus. COVID-19 has been fatal to almost one million people, and has a higher mortality rate for older people and people with other underlying health issues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The corona virus has caused mass confusion, and as a result, the world has seen an influx of information, both myth and fact. Social media and conspiracy theories have spread faster than the virus, and people\u2019s minds have been infected with misinformation. During these times, it\u2019s crucial to get your information from valid sources and properly research anything you hear. Dealing with the epidemic is challenging enough, don\u2019t put yourself at risk of an \u2018infodemic\u2019, as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

COVID-19 has been causing havoc throughout the world for the last nine months, with little sign of slowing down. With cases steadily rising, the current global total is 28.4 million as of September 12th. With the United States, India, and Brazil filling in the top three most infected countries with 6.4 million, 4.6 million, and …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":1557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1556","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-feature"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/medicosnext.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/2700-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1556","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1556"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1556\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1556"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1556"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicosnext.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}