Last Updated on July 7, 2020 by Team THIP
Quick Take
A social media post claims that the Coronavirus, after entering the body stays in the throat for 4 days. Drinking water or gurgling with hot water mixed with salt or vinegar will kill the virus at that stage. We fact check the message and found that it is false.
The Claim
The social media post claims, “Coronavirus before it reaches the lungs it remains in the throat for four days and at this time the person begins to cough and have throat pains. If he drinks water a lot and gargling with warm water & salt or vinegar eliminates the virus. Spread this information because you can save someone with this information.” A snapshot of the same is given below and the archived version can be seen here.
Fact Check
Can the New Coronavirus stay in the throat?
Yes. Back of the throat is the first part of the body where the Coronavirus attaches itself. Coronavirus, once it enters your body, travel quickly to the back of your nasal passages and to the mucous membranes in the back of your throat, attaching to a particular receptor in cells, beginning there.
The virus hijacks the membranes of the human cell at the back of your throat, multiply there and then gradually move towards the lungs.
However, for how many days the virus stays in the throat will vary as per the person’s immunity and many other factors. As per the WHO website, ‘the incubation period for COVID-19, which is the time between exposure to the virus (becoming infected) and symptom onset, is on average 5-6 days, however, can be up to 14 days.’
Saying, that it stays in throat for 4 days for all is an unproven, false statement.
Can drinking hot water kill the novel coronavirus? Can gurgling with warm water mixed with salt and vinegar kill the virus in throat?
No. Major pharmaceuticals companies around the world are spending millions of dollars to find out a medicine that can kill the new Coronavirus.
Killing the virus with salt water or vinegar water is a immature thought.
The WHO website clearly mentions that at the moment (as on …..), no vaccine is available for the Coronavirus.
But, has the Ayush ministry not ask us to drink hot water?
The Ayush Ministry of India which promotes Ayurveda and Naturopathy has advised people to drink warm (not hot) water throughout the day.
There is no mention of gurgling with salt or vinegar water in Ayush ministry circular. Also, Ayush ministry circular was released as ‘ self-care guidelines for preventive health measures and boosting immunity’. Ayush Ministry has clearly mentioned in that, ‘ there is no medicine for COVID-19 as of now, it will be good to take preventive measures which boost our immunity in these times.
A copy of the circular is here
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