False Claims About Preventing And Self-Testing For COVID-19 Debunked

Stanford University has debunked attributions of social media posts about avoiding and self-testing for COVID-19 that cite the Stanford Hospital Board as their source. Such posts have been circulating on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter since the beginning of the pandemic.

Here are some false claims about preventing and self-testing for COVID-19 and why they are inaccurate:

Claim: “Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stiffness or tightness, etc., it proves there is no fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicates no infection.”

Fact: Severe symptoms of COVID-19 include acute respiratory distress and septic shock, not fibrosis.

Claim: “If you have a runny nose and sputum, you have a common cold. Coronavirus pneumonia is a dry cough with no runny nose.”

Fact: Although most symptomatic COVID-19 patients only develop fever, tiredness, and dry cough, some patients also develop aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and diarrhea.

Claim: “Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat are moist, never dry. Take a few sips of water every 15 minutes at least. Why? Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water or other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach. Once there, your stomach acid will kill all the virus.”

Fact: Staying hydrated by drinking water regularly is essential for overall health. However, drinking water, is not enough to prevent coronavirus infection. The moistness of the mouth and throat also has nothing to do with the likelihood of developing COVID-19.

Claim: “This new virus is not heat-resistant and will be killed by a temperature of just 26/27 degrees.”

Fact: According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there is no proof that weather and temperature have to do with the spread of COVID-19. That means it is not true that warming weather helps temper the coronavirus outbreak.

For reliable health advice on avoiding and self-testing for COVID-19, kindly visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.