Misleading advice being shared on social media has little basis in fact and is no help to understanding the coronavirus.
Social media and message groups have been flooded with misinformation on how to avoid contracting Covid-19. Some of the common myths being spread about the virus include drinking water, rinsing your nose with saline, eating garlic, and even using a hairdryer to kill the virus.
Experts also warn against the use of homemade hand sanitiser which could be harmful to the skin. Hand sanitisers must contain at least 60 per cent alcohol.
The barrage of tweets, texts and emails offer few facts.
Health officials say that there are things that can be done to prevent the spread of the virus, such as washing hands. The advice for those with symptoms of the virus is to stay away from other people, especially the vulnerable.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dedicated a page on its website separating fact from fiction around the virus. The WHO refutes claims that the virus can be killed by cold weather or hot baths. The virus can not be transmitted on goods manufactured in any country reporting cases of COVID-19 and that it can not be transmitted through mosquito bites.
The public are advised to check the Health Service Executive (HSE) website for reliable information.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 March 2020. The reporter is Dyane Connor.
