These coronavirus ‘cures’ are faker than a bad boob job. Stop doing them now
We know we shouldn’t have to tell you this, but we’re going to do it anyway.
Stop believing every ridiculous thing you read on the internet about how to kill the coronavirus.
Though it has brought many interesting examples of intellectual prowess to 21st century life, like the Coronavirus Challenge and Florida Man Challenge, the internet is not always accurate.
That meme you saw on your cousin’s Insta stories is not a real medical fact. That friend who saw something on Twitter that said black people can’t get COVID-19 is so false that the mayor of Miami Gardens addressed it in a video.
So listen up. These actions will not help you in your ongoing efforts to evade COVID-19.
Blowdrying yourself
If you ever needed proof we are living through the End Times, all you need to know is that there are people out there who believe that breathing in hot air from a hair dryer will kill the virus. So many people believe it even Snopes.com debunked it. Blowdrying yourself does not prevent you from getting coronavirus or kill your existing coronavirus. Pigs can’t fly, and there is no such thing as a unicorn.
Washing your hands with Tito’s vodka
Now why would you waste a perfectly good margarita ingredient? We have no idea. But apparently so many people were intrigued by this idea that the brand had to tell customers not to do it because 1. there’s not enough alcohol in it and 2. soap and water exist.
Using essential oils or magical teas
Lavender smells nice and tea is refreshing on a hot day. But nothing beats getting the hell away from people to avoid infection.
Drinking a lot of water
Staying hydrated is a good idea in general, but the claim that drinking lots of water will prevent and/or cure coronavirus just shows that some of your older relatives need to spend less time on Facebook. The hoax claimed to be straight out of Stanford University. It was not from Stanford University. It wasn’t even from FIU.
Drinking a lot of bleach
Really? Do we have to say it? OK. DON’T DRINK BLEACH. Don’t believe us? Ask Politifact.
Buying anything from Rev. Jim Bakker
The good reverend has been sued by the state of Missouri and accused of selling a fake “treatment” for COVID-19 disease, which violates state and federal law. We recommend shopping elsewhere.
Hoarding toilet paper
It’s your hands you’re supposed to go out of your way to keep clean.
So what should you do when you come across a “cure” that appears to be too dumb to be true?
Be skeptical. Be sensible. Pay attention to your source.
“Good information hygiene is almost as important as good hand hygiene right now. The mix of the unprecedented crisis with global sharing and social media make it so easy to fall into clickbait or bad rumors,” says Matthew Pinzur, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Jackson Health System. “The good, boring answer is to trust the real experts like the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, major hospital systems and health departments, and reliable journalism organizations.”
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 11:24 AM.