Does Drinking Warm Water Kill Viruses? Here’re The Facts.

Recently there was a video claiming that drinking warm water can kill COVID-19 because the virus “doesn’t like heat”, which has gone viral over the Internet.

Multiple experts have debunked this and many other myths originating from viral social media posts. Here are some of the debunked “Coronavirus Cures’ circulating online amid the coronavirus pandemic.

1. Gargling warm water with salt or vinegar “eliminates” the coronavirus because it stops the virus from entering the lungs.

FALSE. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has emphasised that there is no such evidence that doing so will kill the coronavirus. However gargling salty, warm water may soothe sore throats.

2. Drinking a lot of water will flush the virus into your stomach, where acid will kill it

FALSE. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “while staying hydrated by drinking water is important for overall health, it does not prevent coronavirus infection.” You cannot “flush out” the virus from your airway by drinking water.

3. Flushing your nose with saline spray will protect you from the coronavirus

FALSE. While rinsing your nose with saline can help people recover faster from the common cold, there is no evidence that this can protect you from the new coronavirus infection.

4. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body can kill the new coronavirus

FALSE. Spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body will not kill viruses that have already entered your body, in fact it can be harmful to clothes or mucous membranes (i.e. eyes, mouth). Both alcohol and chlorine can be useful to disinfect surfaces, but they need to be used according to directions.

5. Taking a hot bath prevents or kills the new coronavirus

FALSE. Taking a hot bath will not kill the virus as your normal body temperature remains around 36.5°C to 37°C at all times. Actually, taking a hot bath with extremely hot water just burns you.

6. Sunlight or Ultraviolet disinfection lamp can kill the new coronavirus

FALSE. While a walk in the sunshine is healthy for you, sunlight and UV lamps can’t kill the coronavirus. WHO also warns that UV lamps should not be used to sterilize hands or other areas of skin as UV radiation can cause skin irritation.

7. Ingesting colloidal silver cures you of coronavirus

FALSE. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, ingesting silver can be harmful, hinder the absorption of some drugs and could cause a condition called argyria, a blue-gray skin discoloration.

8. Go get the flu vaccine, it will help with the coronavirus

FALSE. The symptoms of the flu and coronavirus are similar however, flu vaccination will not help because they are different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by the novel coronavirus while the flu is caused by influenza A and influenza B strains. Currently, researchers are working hard to develop a vaccine against COVID-19.

When you come across any information on coronavirus, it is very important that you check with reliable sources to not just protect yourself but also others around you. The correct tips are proper hand hygiene, avoid touching the face, practice cough etiquette, staying at home, and maintain social distancing of at least one metre.