A: Good news, Scientific American has put together a top myth list to help you combat misinformation. We briefly summarize below.
Myth 1: SARS CoV-2 was made in a lab. FALSE-The sequence of this pathogen’s emergence is similar to the trajectory of previously studied coronaviruses.
Myth 2: Elites spread the virus. FALSE-There is no evidence that Dr. Fauci or Bill Gates spread the virus. This has been fact checked multiple times.
Myth 3: COVID-19 is like the flu. FALSE-All of our epidemiological data suggests that the mortality rate is higher than the flu.
Myth 4: Masks are not necessary. FALSE-Numerous studies now support mask wearing across multiple settings.
Myth 5: Hydroxychloroquine works. FALSE-Multiple studies have showed little benefit of Hydroxychloroquine to treat or prevent COVID-19.
Myth 6: Protests led to increased transmission of COVID-19. FALSE-There has not been strong evidence for this. Increased risk is more likely to state reopening.
Myth 7: Increased cases are due to increased testing. FALSE-If this were true, positive tests would be going down.
Myth 8: Herd immunity will happen if the virus spreads throughout the community. FALSE: Letting the virus spread will result in many deaths due to the high mortality rate. This is not a safe strategy.
Myth 9: Vaccines will be unsafe. FALSE: While it is good to be cautious when new vaccines come to market, the risks of the vaccine are likely lower than the potential benefits.
For more details on these myths with data, please read the article here. Let’s continue to combat misinformation together!
Stay Safe. Stay Sane.
~Aparna
