COVID-19: debunking 10 myths
We will now we will debunk 10 myths about COVID-19. Let’s start with the basics.
Myth 1: COVID-19 is just a type of cold
Unlike colds and flu, SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is not just a respiratory virus. It also affects our blood vessels and other organs. Also, some studies have shown that ‘long COVID’ occurs in over 30% of people. Evidence is also accumulating that SARS-CoV-2 has an impact on the heart, as it can cause myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart).
Myth 2: COVID-19 is mild in children – and it may even be good for their immune systems to get it
Although most children get a milder infection than adults, it does not mean that all children have the same experience. Some children can experience severe infections.
The best way of protecting children and keeping them in school, is to reduce the risk of airborne infection spread by providing adequate ventilation in schools, using masks at times of very high transmission – and ensuring children are fully vaccinated.
Myth 3: Deaths with COVID-19 are not deaths from COVID-19
There is a widespread belief that people are no longer dying of COVID-19, and that when ‘COVID-19’ appears on someone’s death certificate, it is just because they happened to have the disease when they were dying of something else. This assumption is false. Whilst it is certainly possible to die with COVID-19 but not of it (for example, by getting run over on your way to the doctor’s surgery), this would not appear on your death certificate.
Myth 4: Long COVID is all in the mind
As things stand currently – and this may change – there is no one specific blood test or x-ray, that will confirm someone has long COVID. And we do not know why some people get it whilst others do not. But this does not mean the disease is imagined!
It is a real condition caused by virus-induced changes in the immune system, hormonal changes (particularly in cortisol levels) and micro-clotting, And changes may be seen on, for example, an MRI of the brain.
Myth 5: Lockdowns do not work
This is a very controversial area with strong views on both sides. There is a view that lockdowns were not really very effective and, what’s more, they did more harm than good – for example by affecting people’s mental health. People often cite Sweden as a country which did not have an enforced national lockdown but did pretty well anyway. We need to look in a more nuanced way at what exactly was happening in different countries.
It is true that Sweden did not have a national lockdown. But it had plenty of restrictions – people did not just go about their lives as they had been pre-pandemic – but it is also true that Sweden had more than twice the death rate as its neighbour Norway which has a similar demographic.
It is of course more complicated than that, as societies’ have to look at the economic and social consequences of lockdowns not just heath effects.
Myth 6: Vaccines are worse than the disease
Vaccines are very safe and safer than having COVID-19. And there is no doubt that vaccines protect people from serious harm from SARS-CoV-2. However, all medicines can have side-effects and a failure rate, and vaccines are no exception.
In terms of side-effects from the vaccines, most people will either get no symptoms at all or a sore arm/cold-like symptoms for a day or two. There have also been more serious (but very rare) side-effects reported, such as allergic reactions to some types of vaccine. Another rare side-effect is developing blood clots, sometimes in the brain.
The side-effect most commonly discussed now is myocarditis. This is an inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium) that can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and rapid or irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias). However, it is also true that the virus itself can cause myocarditis.
Myth 7: I won’t be able to get or stay pregnant if I have a COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 vaccines do not affect your fertility. Full stop.
Whilst the vaccine does not reduce fertility, infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with a short-term reduction in fertility in males. Importantly, catching the virus when pregnant increases the chance of going to intensive care, having an early birth, and that the baby will also go to intensive care. So it is very important for pregnant women to be vaccinated.
Myth 8: There’s no robust evidence that masks work – and they may cause harm
As most people know by now, SARS-CoV-2 is an airborne virus. We breathe it in and out. So, even though it is true that there are no large randomised controlled trials in support of masks, wearing a mask probably protects you – and it protects other people from your germs.
Now for the myth that masks cause harm. They do not. Masks do not kill you. They do not lower your blood oxygen levels. They do not weaken your immune system.
Whether they cause mental trauma in children is more debatable. Though it is certainly true that some kids do not want to wear them; and one should never force a child (or anyone) to wear a mask.
Myth 9: A negative COVID-19 test means I’m not infected
If you test negative – either with a lateral flow test (LFT) or PCR – it only means you probably didn’t have COVID-19 when your sample was collected. It is still possible that: (a) you have just had it, or (b) you will test positive later and get sick, or (c) it is a ‘false negative’ test (the tests are not perfect).
Myth 10: COVID-19 isn’t ever going to go away, so we might as well give up
We do not give up and ‘live with’ measles or TB or HIV. Yes, it is difficult to eradicate (wipe out completely – so far we have only managed that for smallpox) or eliminate viruses (wipe out locally for long periods of time – we have managed this often with measles and polio) once they have taken hold in a population. But that does not mean we should give up trying.
Medicine is about the prevention and treatment of diseases that kill and maim us. Good, sensible public health measures – think seat belts or the smoking ban – must not be shouted down by libertarians. It is true that the economic and social impacts of the pandemic are significant and partly due to lockdowns but much of the impact is due to the disease itself.
Whether we would have lockdowns again if and when another pandemic occurs, is up for debate. The jury is still out.
Summary
We have debunked 10 myths about COVID-19. We hope it has helped you.
Other resource
This is a good article for children.
