SAN ANTONIO – The World Health Organization is dispelling rumors and offering advice amid growing concerns about the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a “new coronavirus that has not been previously identified," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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COVID-19 is not the same as the coronaviruses, which were first identified in the mid-1960s, that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold, the CDC reports.
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Fact vs. Myth
Editors Note: All questions and answers below are provided by the WHO.
Are hand dryers effective in killing the new coronavirus?
Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new coronavirus?
According to the WHO, “spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body.” However, both alcohol and chlorine can be used to disinfect surfaces.
Is it safe to receive a letter or a package from China?
Can eating garlic help prevent infection with the new coronavirus?
No evidence currently suggests that eating garlic will help protect against the current coronavirus outbreak, according to the WHO.
Does putting on sesame oil block the new coronavirus from entering the body?
Certain bleach and chlorine chemical disinfectants can kill COVID-19 on surfaces but sesame oil does not kill the new coronavirus the WHO reports.
Does the new coronavirus affect older people, or are younger people also susceptible?
Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus?
To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus COVID-19, according to the WHO.
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