Fact Check: Did UNICEF issue Coronavirus advisory?

Hyderabad: Cases of Corona virus or COVID 2019 are on raise in India, recently 14 italian tourists have been tested positive in Delhi today. There has been a positive case of COVID in Telangana too. Along with the positive cases, the panic and misinformation are also on the raise. Social media platforms along with whatsapp are being bombarded with information about Corona Virus. Some of them true and some of them false.

Among these, a message quoting UNICEF about Corona virus is going viral on Whatsapp, which has several claims about the virus.

Fact Check:

This Claims made in the above message are MOSTLY FALSE and Misleading.

Firstly, UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. This organization fights for the rights of children being exploited around the world. It works for various issues which ensure the well being of children including their health.

The responsible organization which has been issuing advisories and suggestions on Corona Virus or COVID 2019 from the start of its breakthrough in China is World Health Organisation (WHO).

It has been continuously publishing the health updates on COVID including how it is passed on to each other, symptoms, the preventive measures etc.

Their website also includes question and answers page which include many of the common doubts on Corona virus and also myth busters.

UNICEF also issued health advisory on "What parents should know about Corona Virus" from the perspective of saving children from the virus, which DO NOT include the claims made in the above message.

There is no mention of the cell diameter of COVID 2019 in any of the official advisories, therefore we do NOT know its cell diameter. But there are certain guidelines on how and when to use masks.

According to a article published in Dailymail the the cell diameter of the virus is 0.12 microns, so the surgical masks which filter out particles smaller than that are required. So the claim that cell diameter of Corona virus is 400-500 microns is false.

Officials advise that the persons who are really affected by the disease, or persons with respiratory problems like cold and cough need to wear the masks to prevent the spreading of these problems. Usage of the mask only is not sufficient for protection from Corona virus.

According to the researchers, there is NO data available on the behavior of COVID 2019, as it is a new streak, so how long it survives when it falls on a metal surface or a fabric is yet to be known. Though, washing hands after coughing or sneezing, when taking care of the sick, before and during preparing food, before eating etc.

An article published in Reuters on How long can Corona virus survive on surfaces? According to it, it is not yet clear on how the virus behaves in different conditions. The research is going on in various universities.

There is no evidence to the claim that high temperatures kill the virus, so it cannot spread. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is not yet known whether weather and temperature impact the spread of COVID-19. Some other viruses, like the common cold and flu, spread more during cold weather months but that does not mean it is impossible to become sick with these viruses during other months. At this time, it is not known whether the spread of COVID-19 will decrease when the weather becomes warmer. There is much more to learn about the transmissibility, severity, and other features associated with COVID-19 and investigations are ongoing'

Neither WHO nor CDC have a confirmed information on the claim that gargling with warm water with salt in it helps reduce Corona virus infection.

UNICEF is not the kind of organization that gives advisories about health of the people, it fights for the rights of children and their well being. WHO is the organization that issues the advisories on Corona virus.

Though the symptoms are similar to the normal flu, the best thing to do when Corona virus infection is suspected is to contact the officials and get tested for the infection. Hence, the claims made in the above message are MOSTLY FALSE and Misleading.