ENGL101
17 November 2020
COVID-19: Facts and Fictions
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a defining public health challenge and the worst
threat to health experienced in the 21st century. The virus has rapidly spread through every
continent since its introduction in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of last year. We have
reached and crossed the tragic milestone of one million deaths since the end of September, which
has caused an intolerable burden on humanity. Unfortunately, during this challenging time, a
surplus of misleading information and theories about the virus has been disseminated across the
mass media. However, researchers have been battling this virus with the antidote of ignorance,
science. COVID-19 misinformation, probable theories, and scientific findings are discussed to
evaluate the danger of misinformation and the importance of factuality regarding the
coronavirus.
The proliferation of coronavirus misinformation has been spreading faster than the spread
of the COVID-19 disease. The most visited anti-vaccination conspiracy theory website shared
that the COVID-19 vaccine would infect the world with a new COVID-21 virus leading to
another pandemic [1]. Thus, hypothetically, it would lead to another pandemic and keep people
locked down; therefore, it would diminish the general public's immunity. Moreover, according
to [2], the coronavirus pandemic is an extermination plan to destroy humanity. It was suggested
that the virus was designed to cause mass famine globally, and therefore people should not be
social distancing to prevent it from happening. A news article reported that even though death
counts have been on a steep rise, these reports are fake [3]. The skepticism is because it is
believed that this all part of a political agenda and are not factual reports of COVID-19 deaths.
Another myth that gained momentum in early January is that 5G is a partial reason for the
coronavirus deaths by oxygen deprivation [4]. Based on the news article, the 5G radiation alters
red blood cells' ability to carry oxygen, and the ventilators used in hospitals are deadly due to
their pressure on the lungs. Besides the skepticism behind the virus's nature, rumors of a natural
cure were being shared on the web, suggesting that UV light therapy and Chaga mushrooms are
useful for COVID-19 treatment [5]. The natural cure was based on the supposition that vaccines
are dangerous and that only natural remedies can strengthen immunity.
Even though the dissemination of COVID-19 misinformation is immense, researchers
have found scientific and factual insights about the virus. Scientists have proved that the
coronavirus can range from a mild to moderate “COVID-19 disease” with symptoms such as
fever and cough [6]. Furthermore, it was stated that in severe cases, it is considered “COVID-19
pneumonia,” which is a severe lung infection that could lead to life-threatening infections. These
findings facilitated doctors' diagnostic process to rule out the patients with COVID-19 and start
treatment quickly. It was shown by a study that the most common complications that are with
COVID-19 cases are pneumonia [7]. Moreover, even though COVID-19 patients are getting
treated, recent research suggests the possibility of getting re-infected by the same virus but
mutated [8]. However, after getting re-infected, the symptoms that occur are acute relative to the
first time. Besides re-infected patients, researchers have found in September, there is a further
severe issue concerning “asymptomatic patients” [9]. Asymptomatic cases are when a person is
infected with the virus; however, no symptoms are developed, mostly in young people.
Therefore, these cases cannot be aware of carrying the coronavirus unless they get tested for it.
These cases are disguised, contagious, and pose a threat to the transmission of the virus.
Regarding the means of transmission of the virus, scientists have shown that the airborne route of
COVID-19 transmission is highly dominant [10]. Moreover, the study has shown that facemasks
are an essential preventive measure to decrease infections substantially and reduce the rising
trend of coronavirus cases worldwide.
Furthermore, probable theories have circulated in the scientific community about
COVID-19 regarding its origin, treatments, and how it behaves. According to [11], there is an
accumulation of evidence suggesting the virus's possible origin links to Wuhan's wet markets.
Evidence showing that the coronavirus could have transferred from animals sold in unsanitary
conditions to humans in the wet market. Furthermore, regards the treatment of COVID-19,
research suggested that nutrition and physical exercise could boost the immune system
facilitating the treatment [12]. Even though these healthy habits are set to enhance the immune
system, it is uncertain it would be advantageous towards the coronavirus. A study published in
November has found that people who have recovered from cases of COVID-19 would produce
antibodies that protect against reinfection for at least 5 to 7 months [13]. However, the study has
not followed up to see if the individuals they examined were again exposed to the virus and if the
antibodies successfully protected them from reinfection. Moreover, the results of recent research
in October have reported a vaccine that has ninety-five percent efficacy in treating people with
COVID-19 disease [14]. However, the effectiveness of the vaccine on its usage on a larger scale
for the global population is still uncertain.
In conclusion, there is an overabundance of COVID-19 misinformation, which makes it
harder to distinguish facts from credible sources. This “infodemic” has exploited global public
health by undermining individual responses to the pandemic. Therefore, informing communities
with fact-based advice is lifesaving information and could potentially reduce the spread of
COVID-19 misinformation and, ultimately, disease.
Bibliography
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