There is a lot of paranoia and concern around the coronavirus pandemic, and unsurprisingly, it has led to plenty of messages with tips on how people can protect themselves from getting infected or check if they have COVID-19. One such message doing the rounds asks you to hold your breath for over 10 seconds. And if you are able to do so without coughing, discomfort, tightness or other such difficulties, you have not been infected, the message says.
The message also makes other claims, suggesting that hydrating yourself every 15 minutes can help prevent the infection. “Even if the virus gets into your mouth...drinking water or other liquids will WASH them down through your oesophagus and into the stomach. Once there in tummy...your stomach ACID will kill all the virus,” the message says, attributing the ‘advice’ to Japanese doctors.
However, neither of these claims is true, experts have said.
CNN spoke to Dr Robert Legare Atmar, an infectious disease specialist at Baylor College of Medicine, who debunked these claims.
Anyone with an acute viral infection may find it difficult to draw a deep breath without coughing – but that’s all it means, Dr Robert said. This inability does not mean a person has fibrosis of the lungs, and neither does it mean that a person who's able to hold their breath for over 10 seconds doesn’t have coronavirus.
Regarding the claims about drinking water, Dr Robert said that not only was their no evidence from other respiratory viruses to say that this approach would work, he also pointed out that people still breathe through their nose. Even if this tip worked, which it doesn’t, he said, it would only protect the mouth.
He also countered another claim made in the message – that because the symptoms of coronavirus may take some time to show up, by the time a person is hospitalised, their “lungs is usually 50 % Fibrosis and it's too late! (sic)”
Dr Robert called this information extremely alarmist, and said that 80% of those affected by the novel coronavirus have mild symptoms. Fibrosis develops only in a minority. While the incubation period of the virus is two weeks, the symptoms start showing up within five to six days of exposure. “Only a minority of patients will experience the second week of severe respiratory symptoms and may be at risk of fibrosis,” Dr Robert said.
Therefore, this message doing the rounds is disbursing false information:
“The new coronavirus may not show sign of infection for many days, how can one know if he/she is infected. By the time they have fever and/or cough and goes to the hospital, the lungs is usually 50 % Fibrosis and it's too late!
Taiwan experts provide a simple self-check that we can do every morning:
Take a deep breath and hold your breath for more than 10 seconds. If you complete it successfully without coughing, without discomfort, stuffiness or tightness etc it proves there is no fibrosis in the lungs, basically indicating no infection.
In critical times, please self-check every morning in an environment with clean air!
SERIOUS EXCELLENT ADVICE by Japanese doctors treating COVID-19 cases. Everyone should ensure your mouth & throat is moist, never DRY. Take a few sips of water every 15 mins at least. WHY? Even if the virus gets into your mouth...drinking water or other liquids will WASH them down through your oesophagus and into the stomach. Once there in tummy...your stomach ACID will kill all the virus. If you don't drink enough water more regularly...the virus can enter your windpipes and into the LUNGS. That's very dangerous.
Pls send and share with family, friends and everyone about this ! Take care everyone n may the world recovers from corona virus soon. May all be well n happy. (sic)”
If you think you have COVID-19 or are showing symptoms, call on the following helplines. You will receive guidance on whether you need to get tested and where you can get that done.
