The Covid-19 pandemic began in the city of Wuhan, China, in December 2019. On March 2, 2020, the then Minister of Health, Marta Temido, announced the first case of Covid-19 in Portugal. Three years later, various theories on the prevention, combat and transmission of the virus continue to circulate on social networks.
An old publication was recently re-shared on Facebook with a message from an alleged infectious disease doctor that reveals “an important factor” to prevent the spread of Covid-19: “Drink water every 15 minutes.” In the text it can be read that “keeping the throat always wet” allows the virus, when it enters through the mouth, “to go down to the stomach and then be eliminated by the gastric juice”. Otherwise, the publication defends, the virus can enter directly into the lungs and cause death.
Miguel Castanho, professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon and researcher at the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), in response to the Observer, clarifies that water intake “is important to maintain a balanced and healthy biochemistry and physiology of the body” . But there is no “cause/effect link” between how often you drink water and how likely you are to get SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The new coronavirus is transmitted through small droplets projected by an infected person coughing or sneezing. Gastric juice has a very acidic pH, “enough to kill some bacteria, but not all,” adds Miguel Castanho. However, the specialist points out, “SARS-CoV-2 is a virus and not a bacterium”, and it is not eliminated in the stomach, as the publication suggests.
The IMM professor and researcher also recalls that “the easiest way to prevent contagion is to wear a mask, avoid proximity to infected people and promote air circulation”, especially in closed spaces. Therefore, it is wrong to say that drinking water every 15 minutes prevents infection by the virus that causes Covid-19.
It is true that drinking water contributes to a healthier life and the World Health Organization (WHO) even recommends that sedentary adults drink 2.2 liters of water per day (for women) and 2.9 liters (for men)) . Adults who are especially active on a daily basis should drink 4.5 liters of water a day. But just because it contributes to better health doesn’t mean drinking water will kill viruses like SARS-CoV-2.
conclusion
There is no scientific evidence that drinking water prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection. The message shared on social networks has no basis or reliable source to support this theory, as Professor Miguel Castanho told the Observer.
Thus, according to the Observer classification system, this content is:
WRONG
In Facebook’s rating system, this content is:
FAKE: Main content claims are factually inaccurate. This option generally corresponds to “fake” or “mostly false” ratings on fact-checking sites.
NOTE: This content was curated by The Observer as part of a fact-checking partnership with Facebook
Source: Observadora
