The word Coronavirus, acronyms like 2019-nCoV and CoViD-19, places such as Wuhan, China and Italy are all in the news lately. For good reason, the media is providing us case-by-case and death-by-death updates, with each passing hour and other interesting information, such as the revelation that the NBA has decided to suspend the remainder of the NBA season. The barrage of information is causing us to question and cancel planned trips, choose to work from home, cancel appointments to the gym, and grow concerned about how likely it is that you or a loved one will be attacked by it. And, understandably, we are all looking for ways to stay safe.
We are searching for sources, legitimate and otherwise, for the latest information on a subject that evolves with each minute. As easy as access to the internet is, with all of the wonderful places to find great information, there’s also just as much disinformation. Some of it is well-intentioned. Some intentionally misleading.
need to know
Your concerns are valid. Let’s get you up to date. As of March 11th there have been:
More than 120,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported around the world.
There have been over 4300 deaths, though the great majority of cases are mild and around 65,000 people have been reported recovered.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that as much as 70% of the country’s population might contract the virus.
In Canada, there are 93 reported cases and one death reported.
Toronto Public Health is monitoring 18 positive cases of the virus in the city.
So far to date, there have been a total of 22 cases in Toronto. Four people have recovered from the illness.
The World Health Organization has officially declared the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, a pandemic.
You can follow the countries and cases in real-time here.
It is a fact that all of these numbers will increase as more testing is conducted. It is likely that an infected person will spread the infection before he or she knows they’re sick. That’s why it’s essential to find reliable information so that we can all protect ourselves.
Below, I’ve correlated a comprehensive list of facts and fictions to better guide our decisions:
COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates.
Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the new coronavirus.
Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease.
The new coronavirus CANNOT be transmitted through mosquito bites.
Hand dryers are not effective in killing the 2019-nCoV. To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
Ultraviolet disinfection lamp should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.
How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with the new coronavirus? According to the World Health Organization: “Thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever (i.e. have a higher than normal body temperature) because of infection with the new coronavirus. However, they cannot detect people who are infected but are not yet sick with fever. This is because it takes between 2 and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever.”
Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body. According to WHO: “Be aware that both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used under appropriate recommendations.”
At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus. However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets to avoid other bacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that can pass between pets and humans.
Vaccines against pneumonia, such as pneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provide protection against the new coronavirus.
There is no evidence that regularly rinsing the nose with saline has protected people from infection with the new coronavirus.
Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus.
People of all ages can be infected by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Older people, and people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) appear to be more vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
Antibiotics do not work against Coronavirus. It does not work on any virus, only bacteria.
To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The WHO does advise, “those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation, and will be tested through clinical trials. WHO is helping to accelerate research and development efforts with a range or partners.”
Reliable sources on 2019-nCoV
No source is perfect, but some are certainly better than others! According to WHO, the best sources:
rely on experts who use well-accepted scientific analyses and publish their results in reputable medical journals
have a mission to inform and protect the public, such as the CDC and the WHO
are not promoting or selling a product related to the information provided.
Other good online sources of information on the virus include
Medline Plus, from the US National Library of Medicine
the UK’s National Health Service
the US Food and Drug Administration
in Canada PHAC, the Public Health Agency
major news outlets with deep expertise in health reporting, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe’s STAT News. Canada’s Globe and Mail has a dedicated online resource with up-to-date information on Coronavirus.
While gathering information online may be your easiest initial option, contact your doctor if you have symptoms of an infection, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Where your health and safety is of concern, nothing matters more. Take every precaution necessary to protect yourselves, family and colleagues.
I wish you well.