Myth:
Frequent rinsing of nasal passages with saline or using steam inhalation prevents Covid -19 infection.
Fact:
There is no scientific evidence that suggests that regular rinsing of nasal passages with saline or steam inhalation reduces the chances of COVID-19 infection.
Myth:
Blood thinners act as a preventive measure to help protect patients from COVID-19
Fact:
Blood thinners, or for that matter any medication, should not be taken without a doctor’s advice. There is no evidence that blood thinners or any drug can prevent COVID-19. Blood thinners are often used when a patient has COVID to help prevent blood clots from forming. There is no role for blood thinners in the prevention of infection.
Myth:
Antibiotics can prevent or treat COVID-19
Fact:
COVID-19 is a viral infection and not a bacterial infection. Antibiotics designed to work against bacterial infection do not work against COVID-19. If a COVID patient has an accompanying bacterial infection, an antibiotic specific and most well suited to that particular bacterial infection is prescribed by a doctor. Please do not take antibiotics without doctor’s advice.
Myth:
Prolonged usage of surgical/medical mask can cause injury to health by carbon dioxide intoxication.
Fact:
Carbon dioxide retention up to dangerous levels occurs due to certain illnesses. It is impossible to have serious retention of carbon dioxide by wearing a medical/surgical mask, even if it is for prolonged periods of time.
Myth:
The ability to hold your breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing can be taken as a sign that the patient is free of infection by COVID-19.
Fact:
No such maneuverers like the ability to hold ones breath for ten seconds or longer can rule out infection from COVID-19. The best way to diagnose COVID-19 is to get a PCR and/or laboratory tests and, when needed, a chest X ray to understand if a patient is affected.
Myth:
Will COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA or reduce my fertility?
Fact:
Vaccines that use mRNA technology trigger one’s immune system to develop antibodies against a virus like Covid-19. DNA is a genetic material that that lies inside the nucleus of a cell. There is no way to incorporate the messenger RNA into the DNA or master coding of a patient at the genetic level.
Myth:
Patients infected with COVID-19 in the past no longer need vaccination.
Fact:
While it is true that one has developed antibodies against the virus after active infection with the virus, current evidence suggests that this immunity is not long lasting. In fact doctors currently believe that immunity is conferred for only 3 to 6 months after infection. Having said that, it is important to understand that re-infection with a more virulent strain can take place even in patients who have recovered from COVID-19. Therefore, it is extremely important that vaccine is administered to all individuals once they are able to safely receive the vaccine.
Myth:
A person who is fully vaccinated does not need to wear a mask or take any precaution.
Fact:
Fully vaccinated people can meet with other fully vaccinated people without masks in smaller settings or without a mask. However protection of eyes, nasal passages, hand washing, wearing a mask and social distancing should continue to be practiced by vaccinated people as well as others until the vast majority of the population has received complete vaccination. Until that time, and we are far from this target, all preventive measures should be kept in place.
Myth:
COVID-19 vaccination causes infection from COVID-19.
Fact:
This is entirely untrue. A patient cannot get COVID-19 infection from the vaccine as the vaccine does not use the live virus.
Myth:
After getting the vaccine, one will always test positive for the COVID-19.
Fact:
This is incorrect. The vaccine will not affect the test results as it doesn’t contain live virus. Possibility of getting infected with the virus before or between shots of vaccine is there as a patient may already be incubating the virus in their bodies at the time of the vaccination.
Please have yourself and your loved ones vaccinated at the first available opportunity.
Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash