Celebrating World Health Day and Busting Coronavirus Myths

This year - 2020, on the 7 April we celebrate World Health Day. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clearer than ever, global health is key. World Health Day started in 1950, by the WHO (World Health Organization) with an aim to help us all focus on important aspects of global health. Each year has a theme and this year, the theme is to show support to nurses and midwives.

How are nurses and midwives keeping the world healthy?

If you’ve been watching the news, you’ll see doctors and nurses from all over the world stepping forward to help those infected with the coronavirus – COVID-19. The nurses, and the other health care workers are proving quality, respectful, and dedicated care to all patients. They are working around the clock and putting their lives at risk so that the world recovers from this pandemic.

They spend hours on their feet, often neglecting their own needs so that those who are sick get the right treatment and support. They also help to spread awareness and teach others how to take care of themselves and stay healthy.

How can we help support nurses and midwives?

You don’t have to be a politician or policymaker to make a difference, you can make a difference and help support the nurses and midwives by –

• Showing your appreciation for their hard work.
• Thank them, take pictures or videos of them at work and let everyone know how invaluable their efforts are. When you are sharing this on social media use these hashtags - #SupportNursesAndMidwives and #COVID19.
• Start petitions or ask local leaders to give them the right support and invest in them, they need help to enable them to work to their true potential.

Is there anything we can do during the COVID-19 pandemic to help?

Apart from showing gratitude, thanking them and asking the local leaders to invest in our healthcare workers, we can help by staying safe and educating others, we must do what we can to lessen the burden on these professionals.

How can I educate those around me about COVID-19 and what to do?

The only way you can help those around you is if you yourself know the difference between the myths that are doing the rounds and the actual facts. Here are a few that you need to be aware of –

High temperatures kill the coronavirus. We must spend time in the sun or to temperatures higher than 25C to be safe.

This is false. Hot countries have also had outbreaks of the virus. Standing in direct sunlight or exposing yourself to temperatures higher than 25C will not protect you from getting the virus. You need to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face and practice social distancing. These are the only known ways to protect yourself.

The Indian immune system is better than others, thus Indians have nothing to worry about.

For this to be true, Indians would need to have a very good life expectancy number. This, as we know is not the case, we rank India rank 128th in the world when it comes to life expectancy. If you look at the Air Quality Database published by WHO, 9 out of the 10 most polluted cities in the world are in India! We also have the second-highest number of diabetics in the world, this means that we are already at a disadvantage. This is a new virus, one that we have not seen before, hence it is most unlikely that we as Indians have built up immunity to it. We, like the rest of the world, need to take precautions and not take any risks when it comes to COVID-19. Thus, this statement is false.

Alcohol kills germs, hence, drinking alcohol will keep you safe.

If you drink too much alcohol, you can end up with many other health problems. Drinking alcohol does NOT help, it is dangers and even weakens your immunity, making you more susceptible. If you must, drink in moderation but know that it does not protect you from the virus, so this is false.

If you eat vegetarian food, you won’t get corona. 

It’s a fact that coronavirus jumped species from an animal to a man, yet, no known animal species have been known to carry this virus. Medical experts have asked people to ignore rumours about eating non-vegetarian food and how it will make you get the virus. It is safe to eat chicken and other meat, just follow proper hygiene practises. Vegetarian food will not prevent you from getting the virus making this idea FALSE.

You can get coronavirus from mosquitos. 

As published by WHO ‘To date there has been no information nor evidence to suggest that the new coronavirus could be transmitted by mosquitoes.’ The greatest transmission happens through droplets by an infected person when they cough or sneeze or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. This is false.

Parcels from China can spread COVID-19 so don’t order anything from there.

It is true that the virus stays alive for a long time (depending on the surface), and it can stay alive on plastic and cardboard for 24 to 70+ hours. But, since it takes much longer for parcels to reach us from China, and since they go through many temperature changes, it is unlikely that the virus will survive making this idea false. To be safe, sanitize anything that comes into your home from outside.

The coronavirus affects only old people, not young people. 

According to the WHO, people of all ages can be affected by the coronavirus, so this is false. Older people need to be more careful, especially if they have pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) as they are more vulnerable and might have more difficulty recovering. Young people who have health issues also need to be careful, and even if they don’t, they could be carriers of the virus and pass it to people who are vulnerable. This is why good hygiene and social distancing are key.

If you can hold your breath for 10 seconds, you don’t have the coronavirus. 

Believing that holding your breath for 10 seconds acts as a test for COVID-19 is false. Dr Faheem Younus, the Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Maryland, said that those infected with the novel coronavirus can hold his/her breath for longer. Trying to confirm if you have a serious illness like the coronavirus is not a good idea. The best way to know is through a test, there are a variety of symptoms and a test is the only way to confirm if you have it.

Ginger, lemon, honey, garlic, and Indian spices are good for ​fighting COVID-19

Yes, some Indian spices have a weak antibacterial effect, and some boost your immunity. However, there is NO proof that they can treat or fight against this virus. Remember, the coronavirus is a virus, not a bacterium so this is false.

The acid in our stomach kills the virus if we drink enough water or warm water 

Firstly, it’s important to understand that water will dilute the acids in your stomach, so the more you drink, the more diluted it becomes. Secondly, most viruses have the ability to survive exposure to stomach acids. The coronavirus affects the respiratory tract, not the stomach, so the acid in the stomach plays no role, making this false.

Have you heard of any other myths, or do you need any answers about the coronavirus? Drop us a comment below. To search for homes without leaving your house reach out to us on NoBroker by clicking below.

In case of a COVID-19 emergency, contact-

National Helpline Number +91-11-23978046 or 1075

MyGov Corona Helpdesk on WhatsApp – 9013151515

Karnataka – 104

Maharashtra – 020-26127394

Tamil Nadu – 044-29510500

Delhi NCR 011-22307145

Telangana – 104

Andhra Pradesh – 0866-2410978