Multiple global health institutions have released scientific data supporting the seriousness of the novel coronavirus, but many people still believe in false information spread online.
MYTH: Only the Elderly Get Infected
There have been claims that COVID-19 only affects elderly people, but multiple studies have been released about how the novel coronavirus can get into the systems of younger adults and even kids.
Just this week, new study in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report revealed that those aged between 20 and 29 account for over 20 percent of the United States' confirmed coronavirus cases.
In the U.S. alone, the National Center for Health Statistics logged a total of 851 patients under the age of 18 who have been hospitalized due to COVID-19.
Some children and younger adults who contracted the virus were found to be asymptomatic but being carriers of the novel coronavirus raises the risks of infecting older people.
MYTH: No Need for Social Distancing When Wearing a Mask
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released info about the false claim that a face mask alone can protect people from COVID-19.
According to the WHO, using face masks will not completely prevent a person from contracting the virus. Instead, social distancing should still be practiced whenever possible and when in public.
While there are some specific masks that add a layer of protection from respiratory droplets, many masks that were created during the pandemic era actually do not provide enough protection.
MYTH: Halted Trials Mean Unsafe Vaccine
Last month, the world went from hoping to weary after trials for the highly-anticipated vaccine by pharmaceutical giant Astra Zeneca and Oxford University were halted.
Talks about whether the potential vaccine was safe or not emerged online as people worried about the future and whether a COVID-19 vaccine will ever be created for those still uninfected.
However, emergency physician Dr. Janette Nesheiwat explained that pauses in critical vaccine trials mean the developing companies and researchers are making sure that safety controls and vaccine quality are met.
Putting trials on hold "is a testament to their priority of safety," Dr. Nesheiwat further noted.
Senior medical officer at claims management firm Sedgwick, Dr. Teresa Bartlett echoed Nesheiwat's statements. Bartlett pointed out that taking the necessary stops along the way in vaccine trials will help ensure that the COVID-19 vaccine won't have critical side effects.
MYTH: There are Drugs Approved for COVID-19 Treatment
The WHO has been clear about this myth from the get-go. On the official website of the WHO, it was made clear that "there is currently no proof that hydroxychloroquine or any other drug can cure or prevent COVID-19."
While some doctors and researchers have been trying to develop treatment plans for coronavirus patients, the WHO and other global institutions have yet to officially license a particular drug that will particularly treat infected patients.
The WHO particularly mentioned that hydroxychloroquine "does not have clinical benefits in treating" the virus as some politicians have been promoting the said drug for COVID-19 treatment.
