Debunks of novel coronavirus prevention, cures, treatments

Advice on how to prevent, treat and cure COVID-19 has been shared in every corner of the globe. It often comes from  'doctors' or 'health experts' and sometimes includes reasonable suggestions alongside nonsensical and harmful claims. It has fooled many smart, well-meaning people who have shared it with the best of intentions. There is currently no 'cure' for COVID-19.                               

This misinformation has included:                

  

treatments: paracetamol // salt // drinking tea // inhaling steam // water // water with lemon // boiled garlic water // cannabis // bananas // boiled ginger // silver particles // medicinal herbs // volcanic ash // vitamin D // chinese herbal medicine // 'green chiretta' herb // tinaspora crispa plants // asafoetida // saline solution // anti-malaria drugs // cabbage // neem leaves // zinc and tonic // alkaline foods // papaya // a mix of aspirin, lemon juice and honey // antiviral medicine remdesivir              

as well as: drinking alcohol // smoking // going into the sun // holding your breath to see if you've been infected // having a runny nose // gargling with warm salt water or vinegar // anti-viral injection // injection of disinfectants // effects of prolonged use of face masks // injesting semen.  

claims that the following transmit the virus: chicken // goat meat // rhino horn // fruits and vegetables // wearing shoes inside homes // grocery shopping

Below is a complete list of debunks that AFP FactCheck has done on these types of claims so far, starting with the most recent:

- Israelis did not protect themselves from the novel coronavirus by drinking a 'remedy' of hot water, lemon and baking soda that purportedly 'kills' the virus. More here.

- Video of nurse giving misleading advice about face masks spreads on social media. More here.

- List of unproven COVID-19 treatments debunked by health experts. More here.

- Myth circulates that Italy has discovered that COVID-19 is a bacteria, curable by paracetamol. More here.

- No evidence that salt can treat COVID-19. More here.

- Freediver's video about face masks contains misleading claims and assumptions. More here.

- Experts dismiss purported doctor's 'ridiculous' claim that injesting semen could cure COVID-19. More here.

- Myth circulates that prolonged use of face masks can cause hypercapnia. More here.

- Misinformation circulates about antiviralmedicine remdisivir. More here.

- A mix of aspirin, lemon juice and honey is not an effective remedy against COVID-19. More here.   

- Eating papaya salad does not prevent COVID-19. More here.

- COVID-19 symptoms do not progress the same in all patients; eating garlic and gargling saltwater and vinegar are not effective remedies. More here.

- No evidence eating alkaline foods can prevent or cure COVID-19. More here.

- US President Donald Trump's suggestion to treat COVID-19 with disinfectant could cause death. More here.

- The Philippine government did not approve an 'immunity booster' for COVId-19. More here.  

- Tonic water and zinc are not cures for COVID-19. More here.   

- No scientific evidence that neem leaves can 'cure' COVID-19 and its symptoms. More here.   

- Philippine authorities warn anti-viral injection has not yet been approved for treating COVID-19. More here.

- An old Indian textbook does not list treatments for COVID-19. More here.

- A hospital in the Philippines did not find a correlation between grocery shopping and COVID-19. More here.  

- People wearing shoes inside homes did not trigger a hike in COVID-19 cases in Italy. More here.

- This 'list of tips' citing alleged recommendations steeming from autopsies of COVID-19 victims includes outright falsehoods and half-truths. More here.

- There is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through fruits and vegetables. More here. 

- South Africa hospital group did not find COVID-19 on fresh produce. More here. 

- The World Health Organization (WHO) did not warn against eating cabbage during the novel coronavirus pandemic. More here.

- Mixing rum, bleach and fabric softener to make 'hand sanitizer' can be harmful to your health. More here.

- No evidence drinking tea can cure or relieve symptoms of COVID-19. More here.

- Eating garlic and onions does not prevent COVID-19. More here.

- Inhaling steam will not treat or cure a novel coronavirus infection. More here.

- Wet wipes not recommended for use as DIY coronavirus protection masks. More here.

- Bathing in hot water is not an effective remedy for COVID-19. More here.

- The juice of bitter gourd, a vegetable often used in traditional medicine in India, is not an effective treatment for the novel coronavirus. More here.

- Gargling with warm salt water or vinegar does not prevent the novel coronavirus infection. More here.

- Coughing or sneezing into an elbow does not kill the virus, it just prevents the spread of droplets. More here.

- White-colored tissues or handkerchiefs are not more effective in preventing virus transmission than other colors. More here.

- Drinking alcohol does not reduce the risk of a novel coronavirus infection. More here.

- Red-colored soap is not a more effective disinfectant than regular soap. More here.

- Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are not an effective disinfectant. More here.

- Chlorine should not be applied directly to the body as a disinfectant. More here.

- Breathing in air from a hair dryer or in a sauna does not prevent or cure COVID-19. More here.

- Water used in an Islamic ablution ritual alone cannot kill the novel coronavirus. More here.

- Eating bananas does not prevent a coronavirus infection. More here.

- Smoking does not prevent people from getting infected with the novel coronavirus. More here. 

- It is misleading to compare COVID-19 to other longstanding diseases. More here. 

- Ancient medicinal herbs are not a novel coronavirus remedy. More here.

- Consuming boiled ginger does not cure novel coronavirus. More here.

- Consuming silver particles will not prevent or treat the novel coronavirus. More here.

- Drinking warm water with lemon does not prevent the novel coronavirus. More here. 

- Holding your breath for more than 10 seconds is not an effective test for the novel coronavirus. More here. 

- Drinking warm water regularly and often does not prevent the novel coronavirus. More here, here, here, here, here.

- Volcanic ash does not kill the novel coronavirus. More here.

- A runny nose is not a sign that you don't have the novel coronavirus. More here, here, here.

- How long the novel coronavirus can survive on various surfaces. More here. 

- There has been no vaccine developed for COVID-19. More here, here.

- Anti-malaria drug chloroquine phosphate has not been approved as a cure for COVID-19. More here, here.

- Going into the sun does not kill the novel coronavirus. More here, here. 

- Vitamin D has not been proven as an effective prevention against a  a novel coronavirus infection. More here.

- Cannabis has not been found to improve immunity against the novel coronavirus. More here.

- The novel coronavirus has not been found in chickens. More here, here, here. 

- Black people are not more resistant to the novel coronavirus. More here. 

- Chinese herbal medicine does not 'inhibit' the novel coronavirus. More here.

- 'Green chiretta' herb does not prevent the novel coronavirus. More here.

- Tinaspora crispa plants do not treat the novel coronavirus. More here.

- No evidence that specific foods like chicken or goat meat can transmit novel coronavirus. More here, here.

- Drinking boiled garlic water does not cure novel coronavirus. More here.

- The novel coronavirus does not come from rhino horn. More here.

- You cannot steam facemasks in order to reuse them. More here.

- The asafoetida herb cannot protect from the novel coronavirus. More here.

- Saline solution does not prevent infection from the novel coronavirus. More here.