There are a lot of scams, rumours and ‘fake news’ doing the rounds on social media channels and whatsapp. It is important that citizens know what is true and what to ignore. Unfortunately, much of the fake news is quite convincing and can cause unnecessary worry. To combat the spread of fake news, Twitter has said it will work towards deleting tweets which spread misinformation. The site said tweets which place people at risk of contracting the illness would contravene its safety rules. Tweets which promote fake treatments for the coronavirus or deny expert guidance will be marked as harmful and removed, the social network site announced.
Below, we have outlined some of the false information currently doing the rounds.
You can self test for Coronavirus by holding your breath: NOT TRUE
A message which is being shared again and again on WhatsApp and social media claims that holding your breath for more than ten seconds is an effective test for Covid-19.
This claim is not true, according to multiple medical experts.
The claim has been shared more than 30,000 times on Facebook in more than a dozen countries.
The wording of the message varies, but often claims to include advice from ‘Taiwan experts’ and states there is a “simple self-check” a person can do to assess whether they have the virus. The wording usually also says something like, “Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stuffiness or tightness, etc, it proves there is no fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicating no infection.”
World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic has said there is “no evidence” to support the claims. The only way you can know if you are infected for sure is to be tested.
Silver cures Coronavirus, Salt water delays Cornavirus, etc: NOT TRUE
As fears of the virus mount, so too do claims of snake oil treatments. As panic spreads, a cottage industry of fake and ineffective treatments is also spreading. Claims of the efficacy of air purifiers, vitamins and even bleach are doing the rounds. According to the World Health Organisation, none of these treatments prevent or cure the disease. Companies have already been reprimanded in the US for selling ‘silver solution’ – also known as colloidal silver – claiming it kills the virus. Elsewhere, businesses were selling hand sanitizer that did not contain alcohol, claiming it was effective in killing the virus. According to the World Health Organization, hand sanitizer must be made of at least 60% alcohol to help prevent COVID-19 infection. Online sellers were using Facebook to sell essential oils, such as tea tree and eucalyptus, for coronavirus – some even using ‘Corona’ as a discount code for its products.
None of these are approved treatments or preventative measures against the disease.
Drinking water will flush the virus into your stomach, where it will be killed by stomach acid: NOT TRUE
This hoax comes in many forms and claims to originate from a variety of universities, hospitals or medical experts. The message (doing the rounds on WhatApp and social media) contains a slew of ‘tips’ for curing coronavirus. Its most alarming claim is that drinking water every 15 minutes will wash coronavirus “down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus.”
That claim is false, and has been debunked by multiple experts.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert with Vanderbilt University, told the Associated Press “We always caution anyone healthy and people who are sick to keep up fluid intake and keep mucus membranes moist. It makes you feel better, but there is no clear indication that it directly protects you against complications.”
Inhaling hot air from a hair dryer will cure the coronavirus: NOT TRUE
A YouTube video with nearly half a million views falsely and dangerously advises inhaling hot air from a hair dryer to cure the coronavirus. This is not true.
Helicopters will be spraying disinfectant from the air in Torrevieja/Los Montesinos/other areas: NOT TRUE
A message doing the rounds on social media and WhatsApp claims (depending on the wording of the message as there are some variations) that “Tonight from 11:00 pm no one will be able to be on the street, close doors and windows 5 Air Force helicopters will spray disinfectant as part of the protocol to eradicate the Coronavirus, Please Spread. Thank you so much.” Here on the Costa Blanca, the message is being shared in English and Spanish alike. Local police forces took to their own social media channels to reassure the population that this is a hoax.
Stop and think before sharing
If you get a message about Coronavirus, look at where it is coming from. Is there a reliable source cited in the message? Or, does the message claim that the information comes from a friend, someone they know, neighbour or co-worker.
A lot of the false news being spread right now is from people claiming that messages are from ‘a friend’ of theirs. Before sharing the message (and potentially, spreading unnecessary panic) have a look yourself – do a quick Google search and see if the information is being reported elsewhere. Snopes is an excellent resource to check if a message is a proven hoax.