COVID-19: Myths and Facts (Part 2) | hioscar Blog | Oscar
COVID-19: Myths and Facts (Part 2)
Your Oscar Team is here to help you understand the latest we know about COVID-19 – and debunk some myths.
General HealthCOVID-19 Resources
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We’ve learned a lot about COVID-19 since we published our first post (opens in new tab) about COVID-19 myths and realities, but there’s still plenty we don’t know – and even more misinformation and myths out there. Health leaders and medical professionals on the frontlines are working tirelessly to better understand and treat the virus, and we’re making progress.
But with cases on the rise in many U.S. states, staying up-to-date on COVID-19 facts is as important as ever. Your Oscar Team is here to help you understand the latest we know about the virus – and debunk some myths.
Myth #1: Coronavirus is the same thing as COVID-19.
Not exactly. COVID-19 is the most recently discovered coronavirus that causes the specific COVID-19 disease. Coronaviruses are actually a family of existing viruses like SARs and MERs. If you started calling it coronavirus earlier this year and the name stuck, you’re not alone. The World Health Organization announced the official name as “coronavirus 2019,” or COVID-19 for short – CO: corona; VI: virus, D: disease; 19: the year the disease was discovered.
While COVID-19 shares some common symptoms with other coronaviruses, it can be more dangerous. In the U.S., there have been 4.8 million case (opens in new tab)s of COVID-19 and over 150,000 related deaths. And the rate is even higher for people of color – Black Americans are dying at nearly three times the rate of white Americans, according to The COVID Tracking Project (opens in new tab).
Looking at those numbers, you may wonder what makes COVID-19 so serious, or even, “What does having COVID-19 feel like?” and, “How does it lead to death?”
Because humans were never exposed to this specific coronavirus before late 2019, no one has baseline immunity – your body doesn’t have a long-term memory of how to fight the disease. And since there isn’t a vaccine yet, the virus can spread faster and affect more people in a shorter period of time, overwhelming medical resources.
Just like MERS is more serious than the common cold coronavirus, COVID-19 can cause more severe symptoms, including severe pneumonia and death. COVID-19 has also been linked to increased blood clotting, which can cause strokes. We are just learning about how, and survivors may face life-long health problems like chronic lung conditions and more.
Myth #2: It’s just a sore throat – I must have a cold.
COVID-19 does have things in common with other diseases in the coronavirus family, such as symptoms like a cough, sore throat, and fever, but there’s a broad range of mild to severe COVID-19 symptoms* reported so far.
Symptoms that COVID-19 (opens in new tab) patients have experienced include (but aren’t limited to) difficulty breathing, nausea, diarrhea, and even a new loss of taste or smell, and a rash being referred to as “covid toes.” And some people show no symptoms at all, which makes it even trickier to figure out who needs to isolate to reduce the spread of the disease.
Anyone can catch COVID-19, and anyone can get very sick – and die – from the disease, regardless of what risk factors you have. COVID-19 deaths include adults young and old, healthy and with chronic conditions. That’s why it’s so important that we all stay at home as much as possible and take recommended precautions to flatten the curve and protect those at higher-risk.
Myth #3: I’m young and healthy – I don’t need to worry about COVID-19.
It’s pretty widely known that older adults, people with chronic conditions like high blood pressure, and those suffering from illnesses like cancer are at a higher risk for COVID-19. We have more detail now on why certain people are at a higher risk and how the virus affects them, but the CDC also has a much longer list of risk factors.
People with asthma, for example, are not as high-risk as originally thought. But we know more about other factors like obesity. It’s not just people who are severely overweight – people with BMI (body mass index) of 30-39 are at a higher risk than we originally thought. For context, the average weight of women (opens in new tab) in the U.S. is 170 pounds, and average height is 5 foot 3 – that’s a BMI of 30.
To get a better idea of your risk of COVID-19, take Oscar’s risk assessment survey (opens in new tab) to get a personalized action plan based on your unique risk factors. You can take it as many times as you want – if you see one of your conditions on the CDC’s list of risk factors that you don’t know about before, you can get updated recommendations. Your Care Team (opens in new tab) can walk you through your results, and if testing is recommended, you can use our testing site locator (opens in new tab) to find testing near you.
Myth #4: Face masks cause CO2 poisoning.
While wearing a face mask isn’t necessarily required by law everywhere, it’s very important to slowing the spread of the virus. The CDC recommends (opens in new tab) wearing face masks when you’re in public settings and around people outside of your household, especially when it’s tough to practice social distancing (a.k.a, stay at least 6 feet away from others).
A recent fear around face masks is that they can cause CO2 poisoning. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are smaller than the COVID-19 viral particles. So even if the mask helps to block viral particles, oxygen and carbon dioxide can freely move through the mask.
That said, those who are unable to take the mask off themselves, like children younger than two years old, should not be wearing a mask. Also, if your mask gets wet, that can make the mask cling to your nose and mouth, making it harder to breath; wet masks should always be changed for a dry one. It’s the same reason why you shouldn’t wear a mask when you go swimming.
And since we’re on the topic of face masks, check out Oscar’s Dr. Stephanie Reznick video on mask etiquette (opens in new tab) – from the kinds of face masks like cloth masks, surgical masks, and KN95s, to how to put on, take off, and clean a mask, and more.
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Video | COVID-19 Mask Etiquette
Myth #5: Chlorine dioxide can prevent and treat COVID-19.
In our last post, we talked about the dangers of some COVID-19 preventative products and treatments, and the list of these fraudulent items has only gotten longer. One of the more widely-talked about ones is chlorine dioxide, which creates a bleaching solution.
There’s no proof that products with chlorine dioxide can prevent or treat COVID-19. Not only that, but just like you shouldn’t ingest bleach, ingesting or drinking chlorine dioxide can be highly dangerous to your health – think, respiratory or liver failure – or at the very least severe vomiting and diarrhea. Learn more from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) (opens in new tab).
As of our last post, there wasn’t an approved COVID-19 vaccine available, and unfortunately that’s still the case. But the good news is that a number of vaccines have reached the clinical trial phase incredibly quickly, so we’re making progress.
As of our last post, there wasn’t an approved COVID-19 vaccine available, and unfortunately that’s still the case. But the good news is that a number of vaccines have reached the clinical trial phase incredibly quickly, so we’re making progress.
Myth #6: I was positive for COVID-19 antibodies, so I’m immune.
Immunity is another topic that we addressed in our first myths article, looking at the question, “Can you get COVID-19 twice?” The jury is still out on this one, so continue to assume that you’re not.
Health experts don’t know if having the virus once can prevent you from getting it again – in other words, give you immunity, and more specifically adaptive immunity. Adaptive immunity is when your cells create targeted antibodies that can stick to the virus and T-cells that selectively attack the cells infected with COVID-19 – and have a long-term memory of the disease, which takes time for our bodies to develop.
Antibody tests might tell you if you had a past infection, which might provide protection from getting infected with the virus again. At this time, we don’t know much protection the antibodies might provide or how long that protection might last. Notice all the “mights” in that description, taken directly from the CDC (opens in new tab), and those are just a few of them. Plus, the test results aren’t always accurate.
The takeaway is this: there isn’t currently a way to prove immunity to COVID-19, so it’s important to continue to take precautions for yourself and others even if you’ve had a positive antibody test result. Something you can do if you want to help: if you have received a positive viral COVID-19 test result and since recovered, the nation’s public health experts (opens in new tab) encourage you to donate your plasma (opens in new tab).
Myth #7: COVID-19 is only a physical health problem.
This last one isn’t exactly a myth, but it’s important to talk about. COVID-19 is more than a devastating virus that has caused severe illness and death for many across the U.S. The pandemic has impacted nearly every part of life in the U.S. – whether you know someone who’s been sick or died, lost your job, are homeschooling your children, or are just generally feeling frustrated, anxious, and uncertain about the future.
If you’re struggling emotionally, you’re not alone, and taking care of your mental health is just as important as managing your COVID-19 risk.
The suicide rate in the U.S. increased 35% over the past two decades. We’re experiencing many of the same risks that contribute to the suicide rate right now – like economic stress and social isolation – according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (opens in new tab). These risks combined with recent events have made this time particularly challenging for the Black community, and race-related trauma is another factor that can have a harmful impact on one’s mental health.
We know how challenging this time is, in so many ways. There are plenty of things you can do to stay healthy and positive during the pandemic. Learn about some tips and strategies on our COVID-19 Mental Health Resources (opens in new tab) page. Talking about feelings of anger and sadness can help too, and there are options.
Through Oscar's partner, Optum, anyone seeking mental health support can access a $0, 24/7 counseling helpline by calling (866) 342-6892. Oscar members can also access Doctor on Demand (opens in new tab), which allows you to schedule virtual visits with therapists.
For parents, who we know are managing so much right now, it’s especially important to take care of your mental health. Children (opens in new tab) will take cues from you, so you need to take care of yourself emotionally so you can take the best care of them.
Oscar is here to support you and your family through this difficult time, whether you want to talk about your symptoms, are trying to find a mental health provider, or need a prescription refilled. You can talk to your Care Teams and our 24/7 Urgent Virtual Care** providers through your online account and the Oscar app. And we’ll continue to keep you updated on the latest tips for staying healthy and safe in our COVID-19 Resource Center (opens in new tab).
*Please refer to the CDC for the most up-to-date list of COVID-19 symptoms, which include but are not limited to: Cough; Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; Fever; Chills; Muscle pain; Sore throat; New loss of taste or smell.
**Virtual Urgent Care services are available in most markets. Some exclusions apply. If you're away from home, this benefit is not available in US territories or internationally.
This content does not constitute medical advice and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, including diagnosis or treatment. Contact your physician with any questions you may have regarding COVID-19 or your personal health. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, dial 911 for immediate assistance.
