It's safe to conclude that the onset of the pandemic was characterized by unprecedented misunderstandings and misinterpretations regarding COVID and what it was thought to be capable of.
Even now, there are many misconceptions about COVID-19 that the general population has. The following are some of the most common COVID-19 myths; we're here to assist you separate the facts from the fiction.
1. COVID-19 can spread through contaminated commodities.
Can COVID-19 pass through polluted goods? It cannot be.
The term "fomite" refers to a surface via which a virus can survive and infect a new victim later on—the first COVID-positive person leaves their germs behind, and a second person picks them up.
While surface contamination and hand-washing were high priority at the start of the epidemic, we've revised our expectations.
Purchasing goods from countries where case numbers are low is unlikely to result in an infection at home, but cleaning the outside of packages, product packaging, and the products themselves before use are all excellent precautions.
2. COVID-19 is caused by 5G wireless technology.
This is certainly one of the sillier ideas you can find online. Believers contend that 5G technology causes COVID-19 or that exposure to 5G in the air increases susceptibility to the virus.
While there are rural, remote, Wi-Fi-free settlements of "electro-sensitive refugees" living even in the United States, assertions that wireless signals and cellphones kept in one's pocket cause ailments such as cancer have been widely dismissed as rubbish. Making the same leap with COVID is an even bigger stretch—a it's virus, and it's highly unlikely that it evolved spontaneously in reaction to wireless 5G disruptions.
But, after you have COVID, are electromagnetic frequencies a concern? The International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection states that 5G signals exist well under the permitted upper limit for human exposure. It's a tightly held industry with strict regulations, so dangerously powerful bootleg 5G internet isn't anything to be concerned about.
3. COVID kills only the elderly.
The elderly are far more prone to acquire a serious case of COVID that necessitates hospitalization. They are also more likely to die than younger people, however they are far from the sole group at danger, especially when vaccination status is taken into account.
While one's risk increases with age and lack of vaccination, racial demographics such as Black people, Latinos, and indigenous peoples have also been observed to succumb to COVID at exceptionally high rates when compared to their white counterparts.
Men are also significantly more vulnerable to advanced COVID and hospitalization, as are those living in poverty or in areas with restricted access to healthcare. The elderly are among them, but they are far from alone in having a lot to lose.
Myths and fallacies about COVID-19: What You Need to Know
Never accept a suspicious assertion at its value—always check behind the headlines.
Over the previous couple of years, we've learnt a lot about COVID-19. While several aspects of its nature remain unknown, we're delighted to say that what specialists do know now appears to be very robust.
When something on the internet causes you concern, we recommend consulting with the CDC and the WHO before acting on it.
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