Coronavirus (Covid-19): What Is Fact And What is Fiction?

As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread across the world, the race to get information is fast-paced and constantly evolving.

At News 9, our stories are accurately sourced and vetted rigorously before they go to air, or web.

Having said that there are a number of sites, making constant efforts, to cut down false information, like Facebook.

While it is common sense to know you can’t believe everything you read on the internet, sometimes people can’t tell a credible source from a non-credible source.

We are here to help.

This is what we humbly call, COVID-19 Fact or Fiction.

Let’s start with what is true.

Oklahoma metro doctors are preparing for a surge of patients.

While efforts have been made to flatten the curve of sick people in the medical system, national trends indicate that Oklahoma will need extra hospital beds.

Some facilities are currently preparing mobile sites outside their traditional hospitals to make room.

“If states in the Midwest are simply following the trend of the areas we are seeing that they are hardest hit right now, we are concerned that the current bed capacity in our region will not be enough,” said Dr. Kevin Lewis of SSM Health.

Also true, there is no vaccine for the new coronavirus right now. Scientists have already begun working on one but developing a vaccine that is safe and effective in human beings will take many months, according to John Hopkins Medicine.

Now to the fiction.

There was a preliminary study released to media that Chinese researches found a link to blood types and COVID-19.

The data collected suggests people with Type A blood suffer at a high number than those with O positive blood.

Doctors at the Oklahoma Blood Institute said while the study is interesting, it is too soon to draw those conclusions.

They add the sample size needs to be larger, and that COVID-19 is a virus associated with respiratory distress and is not a blood-borne virus.

OBI doctors said further testing is needed.

“It’s preliminary data. It has not been peer-reviewed, or published in the usually rigorous way that articles, when they end up in a major medical magazine,” said John Armitage, MD President and CEO Oklahoma Blood Institute “It’s way too early for the O’s out there to get happy, and the A’s out there to get depressed.

You may have seen this meme floating around on your social media, it’s a lie.

Here’s why: While the warm water may make your throat feel better, there is no science that this will eliminate the virus.

John Hopkins Medicine had to clear the air with their own article.

Another myth, that Lysol wipes were aware of COVID-19 before the pandemic.

At some point someone noticed the label on the back, which states it kills “human coronavirus.”

While you should be practicing good hygiene, and disinfecting surfaces, there is not a hidden conspiracy here.

There are in fact many kinds of coronavirus, COVID-19 is new also known as “novel.”

Other myths according to health experts at John Hopkins Medicine:

 TRUE or FALSE? The new coronavirus was deliberately created or released by people.

FALSE.

True: Viruses can change over time. Occasionally, a disease outbreak happens when a virus that is common in an animal such as a pig, bat or bird undergoes changes and passes to humans. This is likely how the new coronavirus came to be.

TRUE or FALSE? A face mask will protect you from COVID-19.

FALSE.

It is true that certain models of professional, tight-fitting respirators (such as the N95) can protect health care workers as they care for infected patients.

But, for the general public without respiratory illness, wearing lightweight disposable surgical masks is not recommended. Because they don’t fit tightly, they may allow tiny infected droplets to get into the nose, mouth or eyes. Also, people with the virus on their hands who touch their face under a mask might become infected.

People with a respiratory illness can wear these masks to lessen their chance of infecting others. Bear in mind that stocking up on masks makes fewer available for sick patients and health care workers who need them.