The below is a collection of information, linked to the sources, addressing common claims and beliefs that have emerged in response to the COVID19 situation.
The intent is to provide an easily accessible list of medically sound facts, on which we can make the best choices about our health, and the health of those we love.
GENERAL
“Covid is just like the flu”
Influenza is a serious global health threat that impacts all countries: every year, there are an estimated 1billion cases, 3–5 million severe cases, and 290,000–650,000 influenza-related respiratory deaths worldwide.
Comparing these numbers to Covid, in the year between Jan 22nd 2020 and Jan 1st 2021, there were 1.89 million confirmed deaths from COVID. Yet preliminary estimates suggest the total number of global deaths attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is at least 3 million, representing 1.2 million more deaths than officially reported. We are likely facing a significant undercount of total deaths directly and indirectly attributed to COVID-19.
The current death toll stands at 4,105,435 deaths over a period of around 19 months. To date, more than 556,000 Americans have died from the pandemic. Meanwhile, in 2020, 22,000 Americans died from the flu.
There are also some significant differences in the way that COVID behaves compared with influenza:
If a person has COVID-19, they could be contagious for a longer time than if they had flu.
Flu
Most people with flu are contagious for about 1 day before they show symptoms.
Older children and adults with flu appear to be most contagious during the initial 3–4 days of their illness but many people remain contagious for about 7 days.
Infants and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for even longer.
COVID-19
How long someone can spread the virus that causes COVID-19 is still under investigation.
It’s possible for people to spread the virus for about 2 days before experiencing signs or symptoms (or possibly earlier) and remain contagious for at least 10 days after signs or symptoms first appeared. If someone is asymptomatic or their symptoms go away, it’s possible to remain contagious for at least 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. People who are hospitalized with severe disease and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for 20 days or longer.
Overall, COVID-19 seems to cause more serious illnesses in some people.
For young children, especially children younger than 5 years old, the risk of serious complications is higher for flu compared with COVID-19. However, serious COVID-19 illness resulting in hospitalization and death can occur even in healthy young children.
Compared to young children, teens and adolescents with COVID-19 are more likely to have Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a rare but severe complication of COVID-19. However, for adolescents, the risk of serious COVID-19 illness is less than in children younger than 5.
Some people are experiencing a range of new or ongoing symptoms that can last weeks or months after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. Unlike some of the other types of post-COVID conditions that only tend to occur in people who have had severe illness, these symptoms can happen to anyone who has had COVID-19, even if the illness was mild, or if they had no initial symptoms. People commonly report experiencing different combinations of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
- Cough
- Chest or stomach pain
- Headache
- Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)
- Joint or muscle pain
- Pins-and-needles feeling
- Diarrhea
- Sleep problems
- Fever
- Dizziness on standing (lightheadedness)
- Rash
- Mood changes
- Change in smell or taste
- Changes in period cycles
“COVID Vaccines are Dangerous”
Vaccination against COVID-19 is the single most effective way to reduce severe illness and death from infection.
Two COVID-19 vaccines are currently in use in Australia — AstraZeneca and Comirnaty (Pfizer). Like all medicines, the vaccines can have side effects (also known as adverse events). The overwhelming majority of these are mild and resolve within a few days. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) closely monitors suspected side effects. Importantly, adverse events reported to the TGA are often not caused by the vaccine itself. Learn more about causality.
There are understandable but misguided concerns about experimental chemicals and ingredients being present in the COVID vaccines. Ingredients for the Pfizer/BioNTech and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
Over 334 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in the United States from December 14, 2020, through July 12, 2021. The FDA and CDC continue to carefully monitor each of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines for safety concerns.
These organizations are being thorough and transparent. One example is that in April 2021 the CDC and FDA paused administration of the J&J vaccine so they could review data on a few reported cases of serious blood clots following vaccination with that vaccine. After this review, the FDA and CDC determined that the benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the risk of this very rare side effect, and authorized vaccination with the J&J shot to resume.
Similarly, after observing rare occurrences of myocarditis following the second injection of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, the CDC released information for the public.
Organizations continue to communicate with the public about their findings and any possible safety issues with this or any other COVID-19 vaccine. Any potential safety risks of COVID-19 vaccines must be weighed against the known serious risk of harm due to the COVID-19 infection and the benefits of protection that the vaccines offer.
Issues concerning the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and a rare incidence of myocarditis after the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, as noted above have been reported.
Trials for the vaccines have had fully independent safety monitoring boards, and safety data are continuously reviewed by the FDA and expert panels. The number of serious problems in test participants was very low, and there was little difference between those who received the actual vaccine and those who received a placebo.
Considering the hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been administered, these reports are very rare.
“The vaccine causes blood clots”
There has been a link established between the AstraZeneca vaccine and a very rare but serious side effect called thrombosis in combination with thrombocytopenia (TTS).
ATAGI advises that Comirnaty (Pfizer) is preferred over COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca from the age of 16 to under 60 years. This is based on recent data regarding TTS cases in Australia and a reassessment of current age-specific risks and benefits of vaccination.
Although estimates of risk based on small numbers of cases are imprecise, the risk of TTS is estimated in Australia at around:
- 2.6 per 100,000 in those <60 years; and
- 1.6 per 100,000 in those ≥60 years.
Australia’s medical experts, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) have recently reviewed the data available on the incidence of rare blood clots after COVID-19 vaccination.
The experts at ATAGI actively monitor cases of this syndrome. They have considered the risk of this rare side effect against the benefits of vaccination for different age groups.
They have noticed higher rates of this rare condition in people aged 50–59 years and recommend the Pfizer vaccine as the preferred vaccine for people under the age of 60.
ATAGI also recommends people of all ages who have had the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine without serious adverse effects have their second dose of AstraZeneca.
For people aged 60 years or above, the benefits of vaccination, with any vaccine including AstraZeneca, clearly outweigh the risks of TTS.
The total Australian reports assessed as TTS following the AstraZeneca vaccine to 51 confirmed cases and 32 probable cases, with a total of 83 cases overall from approximately 5.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Further information on one of the probable cases reported last week indicates it occurred after the second vaccine dose. The case appeared relatively mild and remains under investigation to determine whether or not it is linked to the vaccine.
MASKS
What evidence do we have that wearing a mask is effective in preventing COVID-19?
There are several strands of evidence supporting the efficacy of masks.
One category of evidence comes from laboratory studies of respiratory droplets and the ability of various masks to block them. An experiment using high-speed video found that hundreds of droplets ranging from 20 to 500 micrometers were generated when saying a simple phrase, but that nearly all these droplets were blocked when the mouth was covered by a damp washcloth. Another study of people who had influenza or the common cold found that wearing a surgical mask significantly reduced the amount of these respiratory viruses emitted in droplets and aerosols.
But the strongest evidence in favor of masks come from studies of real-world scenarios. “The most important thing are the epidemiologic data,” said Rutherford. Because it would be unethical to assign people to not wear a mask during a pandemic, the epidemiological evidence has come from so-called “experiments of nature.”
A recent study published in Health Affairs, for example, compared the COVID-19 growth rate before and after mask mandates in 15 states and the District of Columbia. It found that mask mandates led to a slowdown in daily COVID-19 growth rate, which became more apparent over time. The first five days after a mandate, the daily growth rate slowed by 0.9 percentage-points compared to the five days prior to the mandate; at three weeks, the daily growth rate had slowed by 2 percentage-points.
Another study looked at coronavirus deaths across 198 countries and found that those with cultural norms or government policies favoring mask-wearing had lower death rates.
Two compelling case reports also suggest that masks can prevent transmission in high-risk scenarios, said Chin-Hong and Rutherford. In one case, a man flew from China to Toronto and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. He had a dry cough and wore a mask on the flight, and all 25 people closest to him on the flight tested negative for COVID-19. In another case, in late May, two hair stylists in Missouri had close contact with 140 clients while sick with COVID-19. Everyone wore a mask and none of the clients tested positive.
Drawing on the expertise of Amanda Valyko, M.P.H., the director of infection prevention and epidemiology at Michigan Medicine:
1. Claim: The mask only protects others, not the wearer.
Masks actually protect both the wearer and others around them. The №1 goal of masks is to contain people’s germs and prevent them from reaching others.
“A recent study found that if an individual is unmasked, their droplets can travel about eight feet,” says Valyko. “But if you are wearing a mask, droplets travel less than one foot.”
2. Claim: Masks with exhalation valves are more comfortable and offer the same amount of protection.
Masks with exhalation valves are not nearly as safe and do not limit the spread of COVID-19. Exhalation valves allow germs/droplets to be expelled into the air around you, putting others at risk.
“If a patient goes to an appointment with an exhalation valve mask, they should be asked to cover the valve with a regular mask or change into a regular mask,” Valyko says. “There is very little protection offered by these types of masks.”
3. Claim: Wearing a mask causes a dangerous build-up of carbon dioxide if worn for long periods of time.
There is no science supporting this. Wearing a mask is a safe practice.
“Health care workers have been wearing masks for prolonged periods of time — many, many hours for longer surgeries and things like that without incident,” Valyko says.
That’s because CO2 particles are extremely small, unlike viral loads, and can pass through masks. That’s even the case for a higher protection mask like an N95.
“Studies on health care workers wearing tight-fitting N95 respirators have also not shown concerning increases in CO2 levels,” Valyko says.
From the World Health Organization:
People should NOT wear masks while exercising
People should NOT wear masks when exercising, as masks may reduce the ability to breathe comfortably.
Sweat can make the mask become wet more quickly which makes it difficult to breathe and promotes the growth of microorganisms. The important preventive measure during exercise is to maintain physical distance of at least one meter from others.
The prolonged use of medical masks* when properly worn, DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency
The prolonged use of medical masks can be uncomfortable. However, it does not lead to CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency. While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it is tight enough to allow you to breathe normally. Do not re-use a disposable mask and always change it as soon as it gets damp.
* Medical masks (also known as surgical masks) are flat or pleated; they are affixed to the head with straps or have ear loops.
An evidence review of face masks against COVID-19
A primary route of transmission of COVID-19 is via respiratory particles, and it is known to be transmissible from presymptomatic, paucisymptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals. Reducing disease spread requires two things: limiting contacts of infected individuals via physical distancing and other measures and reducing the transmission probability per contact. The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected respiratory particles in both laboratory and clinical contexts. Public mask wearing is most effective at reducing spread of the virus when compliance is high. Given the current shortages of medical masks, we recommend the adoption of public cloth mask wearing, as an effective form of source control, in conjunction with existing hygiene, distancing, and contact tracing strategies. Because many respiratory particles become smaller due to evaporation, we recommend increasing focus on a previously overlooked aspect of mask usage: mask wearing by infectious people (“source control”) with benefits at the population level, rather than only mask wearing by susceptible people, such as health care workers, with focus on individual outcomes. We recommend that public officials and governments strongly encourage the use of widespread face masks in public, including the use of appropriate regulation.
How many people need to wear masks to reduce community transmission?
“What you want is 100 percent of people to wear masks, but you’ll settle for 80 percent,” said Rutherford. In one simulation, researchers predicted that 80 percent of the population wearing masks would do more to reduce COVID-19 spread than a strict lockdown.
From the World Health Organization
Clinical trials confirm that hydroxychloroquine does not prevent illness or death from COVID-19.
Hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, a common treatment for malaria and certain autoimmune diseases, has been studied as a preventative treatment for COVID-19. Evidence from these studies shows that hydroxychloroquine has little to no impact on illness, hospitalization, or death.
Vitamin and mineral supplements cannot cure COVID-19
Micronutrients, such as vitamins D and C and zinc, are critical for a well-functioning immune system and play a vital role in promoting health and nutritional well-being. There is currently no guidance on the use of micronutrient supplements as a treatment of COVID-19.
Exposing yourself to the sun or temperatures higher than 25°C DOES NOT protect you from COVID-19
You can catch COVID-19, no matter how sunny or hot the weather is. Countries with hot weather have reported cases of COVID-19. To protect yourself, make sure you clean your hands frequently and thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.
Rinsing your nose with saline does NOT prevent COVID-19
There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus.
There is some limited evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline can help people recover more quickly from the common cold. However, regularly rinsing the nose has not been shown to prevent respiratory infections.
Eating garlic does NOT prevent COVID-19
Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.
Adding pepper to your soup or other meals DOES NOT prevent or cure COVID-19
Hot peppers in your food, though very tasty, cannot prevent or cure COVID-19. The best way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is to keep at least 1 metre away from others and to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. It is also beneficial for your general health to maintain a balanced diet, stay well hydrated, exercise regularly and sleep well.
People of all ages can be infected by the COVID-19 virus
Older people and younger people can be infected by the COVID-19 virus. Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
WHO advises people of all ages to take steps to protect themselves from the virus, for example by following good hand hygiene and good respiratory hygiene.
From MedicalNewsToday, correcting some common misunderstandings:
1. Spraying chlorine or alcohol on the skin kills viruses in the body
Applying alcohol or chlorine to the skin can cause harm, especially if it enters the eyes or mouth. These chemicals can disinfect surfaces, but people should not use them on their bodies.
Also, these products cannot kill viruses inside the body.
2. Only older adults and people with preexisting conditions are at risk of infections and complications
SARS-CoV-2, like other coronaviruses, can transmit to people of any age. However, older adults and individuals with preexisting health conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, or asthma, are more likely to become severely ill.
While people under 40, including children, are less likely to become severely ill with COVID-19, the disease can lead to complications and death in anyone.
3. Children cannot get COVID-19
Anyone, of any age, can develop the infection that causes COVID-19.
So far, most COVID-19 cases have been in adults, but children are not immune. That said, most children who develop COVID-19 have mild symptoms or none at all.
Also, on May 15, 2020, the WHO released a commentary about an inflammatory condition in children and adolescents that may have links with COVID-19.
The condition, called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, known as MIS-C, has features similar to Kawasaki disease and toxic shock syndrome.
Scientists currently know little about this condition, but research from May suggests that it is rare, “probably affecting no more than 1 in 1,000 children exposed to SARS-CoV-2.”
4. COVID-19 is just like the flu
Infection with the virus SARS-CoV-2 can cause COVID-19, an illness that can cause flu-like symptoms, such as body aches, a fever, and a cough. Symptoms of either COVID-19 or the flu can be mild, severe, or rarely, fatal. Both illnesses can also cause pneumonia.
However, the overall profile of COVID-19 is more serious. Different countries have reported different mortality rates, and the case fatality rate in the U.S. appears to be around 2.6%.
While scientists are still determining the exact mortality rate based on developing data, it is likely to be many times higher than that of the seasonal flu.
Learn about the differences between COVID-19 and the flu here.
5. Everyone with COVID-19 dies
This is false. As we explain above, COVID-19 is fatal for a small percentage of people who develop the illness.
The WHO have reported that around 80% of people with COVID-19 experience a relatively form of the illness and do not need specialist treatment in a hospital. Mild symptoms may include a fever, a cough, a sore throat, tiredness, and shortness of breath.
Also, many people with the underlying infection experience no symptoms.
6. Cats and dogs spread the coronavirus
There have been several reports of pets developing the infection, including in the U.S. In most cases, the pets became sick after coming into contact with people who had COVID-19.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “There is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.”
Scientists are debating the importance of these cases in animals. For instance, Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, in the United Kingdom, says:
“We have to differentiate between real infection and just detecting the presence of the virus. I still think it’s questionable how relevant it is to the human outbreak, as most of the global outbreak has been driven by human-to-human transmission.”
7. Face masks always protect against the coronavirus
Healthcare workers use professional face masks that fit tightly to protect themselves from infections.
Disposable and cloth masks can protect against droplets, but neither can protect against aerosolized particles.
The CDC recommend that all people wear cloth face masks in public areas where it is difficult to maintain a 6-foot, or 2-meter, distance from others. This helps slow the spread of the virus.
Even while wearing a mask, it is essential to continue with other precautions, such as not touching the face, physical distancing, and washing the hands frequently.
Instructions for making masks at home are available here.
Surgical masks and N95 respirators provide greater protection, but reserve these for healthcare workers.
8. Hand dryers kill the coronavirus
Hand dryers do not kill SARS-CoV-2. The best way to protect oneself and others from the virus is to wash the hands with soap and water frequently for at least 20 seconds at a time.
When this is not possible, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
9. SARS-CoV-2 is just a mutated form of the common cold virus
Coronaviruses are a large family, and each has spiky proteins on their surface. Some use humans as their primary host and cause the common cold.
Other coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, primarily infect animals.
Like COVID-19, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are caused by coronaviruses. These viruses also initially passed to humans from animals.
10. You have to be with someone for 10 minutes to catch the virus
The longer a person is close to someone with the infection, the likelier the virus is to transmit. However, the virus can pass from person to person in under 10 minutes.
12. You can protect yourself by gargling bleach
People should never put bleach in their mouths. Gargling bleach could never benefit a person’s health.
Bleach is corrosive and can cause serious damage.
13. Antibiotics kill the coronavirus
Antibiotics only kill bacteria. They do not kill viruses.
14. Thermal scanners can diagnose the coronavirus
Thermal scanners can detect whether someone has a fever — which might result from any number of health issues.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can appear 2–14 days after the infection develops. This means that even if a person develops symptoms, they may have a normal temperature for days before a fever begins.
16. Parcels from China can spread the coronavirus
From previous research into coronaviruses similar to SARS-CoV-2, including those that cause SARS and MERS, scientists believe that the virus cannot survive on letters or packages for extended periods.
The CDC explain that “Although the virus can survive for a short period on some surfaces, it is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail, products, or packaging.”
17. Home remedies can cure and protect against COVID-19
No home remedies can protect against COVID-19. This goes for vitamin C, essential oils, silver colloid, sesame oil, garlic, fish tank cleaner, sage, or water, even when a person sips it every 15 minutes.
The best approach is to wash the hands frequently, for 20 seconds at a time, to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, to wear a face covering in public, and to avoid crowded places.
20. The virus will die off when temperatures rise
Some viruses, such as cold and flu viruses, spread more easily in colder months. This does not mean that their transmission stops in warmer weather.
As it stands, scientists do not know how temperature changes influence the behavior of SARS-CoV-2.
21. The coronavirus is the deadliest virus known to humans
While SARS-CoV-2 does appear to be more dangerous than influenza viruses, it is not the deadliest virus that people have faced. Others, such as the Ebola virus, have higher mortality rates.
22. Flu and pneumonia vaccines can protect against COVID-19
Because SARS-CoV-2 is distinct from other viruses, no existing vaccines can protect against it.
23. The virus originated in a laboratory in China
There is no evidence to back up this rumor, which has circulated on the internet. As a recent study demonstrates, SARS-CoV-2 is a natural product of evolution.
Some researchers believe that SARS-CoV-2 jumped from pangolins to humans. Others think that it passed to us from bats, like SARS did.
25. 5G helps SARS-CoV-2 spread
As the world becomes more connected, some regions are rolling out 5G mobile technology. This has prompted a raft of conspiracy theories.
One of the most recent to emerge is that 5G is responsible for the swift spread of SARS-CoV-2 across the globe. This is a myth.
Some people believe that 5G helps viruses communicate, often citing a paper from 2011. In this study, the authors conclude that bacteria can communicate via electromagnetic signals.
However, experts dispute this theory. In any case, SARS-CoV-2 is a virus, not a bacterium.
Wuhan was one of the first cities to trial 5G in China, which helps explain the origin of some of these theories. However, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou also rolled out 5G at a similar time.
It is also worth noting that COVID-19 has significantly impacted countries with very little 5G coverage, such as Iran.
Learn about the health implications of 5G in depth here.
26. Drinking alcohol reduces the risk of infection
The WHO have released a response to the series of myths surrounding alcohol and COVID-19. They explain that while alcohol can disinfect the skin, it does not have this effect inside the body.
They continue, “Consuming any alcohol poses health risks, but consuming high-strength ethyl alcohol (ethanol), particularly if it has been adulterated with methanol, can result in severe health consequences, including death.”
Also, in a fact sheet on the subject, they explain that “Alcohol use, especially heavy use, weakens the immune system — and thus reduces the ability to cope with infectious diseases.”
And because alcohol is associated with a number of diseases, it may make people more vulnerable to COVID-19.
27. Injecting or consuming bleach or disinfectant kills the virus
Consuming or injecting disinfectant or bleach does not wipe out viruses in the body, and it can be extremely dangerous.
As Dr. Wayne Carter, an associate professor at the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, in the U.K., explains, “Disinfectants and bleach are strong oxidizing agents, useful to kill bacteria or viruses when they are deposited on surfaces, but these agents should not be ingested or injected. These agents can cause severe tissue burns and blood vessel damage.”
Dr. Penny Ward, a visiting professor of pharmaceutical medicine at King’s College London, in the U.K., notes, “Drinking bleach kills. Injecting bleach kills faster.”
28. You can contract the coronavirus in swimming pools
As the CDC observe, no evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 transmits via the water in swimming pools, hot tubs, or water parks. If this water is disinfected with chlorine or bromine, it should inactivate the virus.
Still, the virus can transmit in all the usual ways in these and any other shared spaces. A person contracts a SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhaling respiratory droplets that contain the virus or coming into contact with infected surfaces.
As in other public places, the CDC recommend staying 6 feet, or 2 meters, away from others at pools and water parks and wearing cloth face coverings when not in the water.
People who operate pools should take extra care to clean and disinfect all facilities.
In a follow-up article, we explore 5 persistent myths about COVID-19 and shed light on the roles of vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc.
29. If you get a COVID-19 vaccine, you will no longer transmit SARS-CoV-2 to others
The question as to whether the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines might stop SARS-CoV-2 transmission altogether has arisen in the context of speculations about “vaccine passports.”
Such documentation would, in theory, allow people who have had a COVID-19 vaccine to move freely once again.
However, at present there is not enough evidence to prove whether or not the currently authorized vaccines stop the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The trial results for the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna-NIAID and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines so far suggest they are effective in preventing symptoms of COVID-19.
However, research on whether or not these vaccines and other vaccine candidates are also likely to prevent transmission is lacking.