CLAIM: Garlic can help cure the new coronavirus.
THE FACTS: There is no evidence that garlic cures the virus. While garlic does have antimicrobial properties, WHO said that there is no evidence that eating garlic will help with the virus.
CLAIM: Chlorine dioxide will help get rid of the new virus from China.
AP’S ASSESSMENT: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns against ingesting the bleaching agent. As news spread about the outbreak, social media accounts began promoting the idea that drinking chlorine dioxide or related products with names like Miracle Mineral Solution would help wipe out the virus. The FDA told The Associated Press in a statement that they do not recommend ingesting this product. “We understand people are concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus and we urge people to talk to their health care provider about treatment options, as well as follow advice from other federal agencies about how to prevent the spread of this illness,” the agency said. The FDA warns that drinking the product can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and symptoms of severe dehydration.
CLAIM: Surgical masks protect against the new coronavirus.
THE FACTS: Medical masks alone cannot protect against being infected with the new coronavirus. WHO advised that the masks should be worn by those showing symptoms of coughing and difficulty breathing, so they don’t spread disease to others. There is no evidence that masks protect people who are not sick.
CLAIM: The new coronavirus can cause 50 percent fibrosis of the lungs.
THE FACTS: False. Experts say there is no evidence that the new virus causes fibrosis. Dr. Robert Legare Atmar, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, said patients have not been shown to have fibrosis, which occurs when lung tissue begins scarring. The virus has been known in more serious cases to cause pneumonia, severe respiratory syndrome or kidney failure, but not fibrosis. People who are suffering from coronavirus may see symptoms in as little two to 14 days, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-diseases expert at Vanderbilt University, said he has not seen studies indicating that after patients recover from the new coronavirus, they suffer serious lung damage. “The vast majority of people get better,” he said.