As a cleaning company, we’ve been inundated with questions from worried clients about the Coronavirus pandemic. Quite rightly, they want to be assured that we’re following stringent health and safety procedures in a bid to help fight this awful disease. We’re all swimming in uncharted waters; Covid-19 is a new disease, so scientists are learning as they go, passing on the best information they have in order to try and keep us safe.

Sadly, the spread of Covid-19 has seen a spike in misinformation circulating on social media platforms in response to the pandemic.

We’ve taken a look at some of the recently circulated myths and sorted out the fact from fiction.

Fiction – Water over 27C kills the virus.
Fact – With the average temperature of the body being 37C, a virus killed of at 27C would mean that nobody would become ill.

Fiction – Drinking water flushes out the virus.
Fact – It is really important to keep hydrated at all times, but flushing the virus into the stomach is pure fantasy. Viruses are spread by droplets being transmitted from surfaces/people to people.

Fiction – Herd immunity is the best way to combat Coronavirus.
Fact – For herd immunity to be effective, at least 60 – 70% of the population would need to be infected. This would mean that hundreds of thousands of deaths would occur in the meantime.

Fiction – Blow drying your face and nose will help.
Fact – Hot air, saunas and steam rooms will not help kill Coronavirus. Blow drying your face could do more damage than good and will have absolutely no impact on the virus.

Fiction – Only antibacterial soap can clean the virus off your hands.
Fact – So long as you wash your hands with soap and water, you’re doing the right thing. Bar soap is just as effective as anti-bac liquid soap, as the pH levels mean that bacteria can’t survive on it.

Fiction – Eating garlic will help.
Fact – Although garlic has antimicrobial properties, there’s no evidence that it can protect you from Coronavirus.

Fiction – Thermal scanners can detect the virus.
Fact – They may be able to sense a fever, but they can’t detect the infection during the incubation period.

Fiction – Pets can spread Coronavirus.
Fact – There is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 can be transmitted to humans via pets.

Fiction – Vitamins and Zinc can prevent infection.
Fact – There is no evidence to suggest that vitamin and zinc supplements will help. Zinc can shorten infections of the common cold, but Coronavirus is anything but a common cold!

The best advice we at Brightr can give, is to heed the government’s rules: Stay at home. Protect our NHS. Save lives.