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Truths and myths: What can and can’t protect you against COVID-19 | CBC News

Byindianadmin

Mar 20, 2020
Truths and myths: What can and can’t protect you against COVID-19 | CBC News

There is a lot of advice floating around about what can and can’t protect you from getting COVID-19. But what’s true and what’s not? Here are some things that experts say don’t work — and some that do.

A transit rider in Vancouver wears gloves and covers her face with her scarf. Experts say gloves aren’t really good protection against COVID-19. (Jon Hernandez/CBC)

There is a lot of advice floating around about what can and can’t protect you from COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. But what’s true and what’s not?

Here are some things that experts say don’t work — and some that do.

Things that don’t actually work

Hand dryers

Yes, you should dry your hands with either a towel or hand dryer after cleaning them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. But the heat from hand dryers alone don’t kill the virus, the World Health Organization says.

Vaccinations for flu or pneumonia

While these will protect you against two other respiratory diseases, they don’t work against the virus that causes COVID-19. That’s why scientists are working so hard right now to develop and test a vaccine specifically for the illness.

Using a UV disinfection lamp

While you may have heard of ultraviolet lamps being used to sanitize hospital surfaces or phones, they shouldn’t be used on your skin as the radiation they emit can cause skin irritation, WHO says.

Wearing gloves in public

Regular gloves have minute holes in them and can become contaminated after touching surfaces. That’s why they’re “probably not effective,” Dr. Frank Esper, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, recently told the New York Times.

Disposable gloves, like latex or vinyl, shouldn’t have holes in theory, but experts say they could provide a false sense of security. And if you touch your face with them, then you’re still at risk, says medical microbiologist Dr. Jocelyn Srigley.

The Tru-D SmartUVC disinfecting light is shown in this 2017 file photo. While ultraviolet light is used to disinfect phones and hospital equipment, it’s not recommended for use on skin. (Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin via Associated Press)

Spraying chlorine, bleach or alcohol on your body

Don’t do this. While bleach can be used to disinfect surfaces, it’s corrosive and can harm your mucous membranes, such as your eyes or mouth, WHO warns.

Rinsing your nose with saline regularly

While there’s some evidence this can help people recover more quickly from the common cold, it hasn’t been shown to actually prevent respiratory infections, WHO says.

Antibiotics

These only work against bacteria, not viruses like the novel coronavirus.

Bleach is good for disinfecting surfaces, but don’t spray it on your body or gargle it, WHO says. (Scott Eells/Bloomberg)

Vitamin C

While many people think vitamin C prevents respiratory diseases, like colds, Health Canada doesn’t allow manufacturers to claim that, as there simply isn’t enough scientific evidence.

Likewise, there’s no evidence that vitamin C helps with COVID-19. Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious dise

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