Answer to Question #157686 in Microbiology for EUGINE HAWEZA

Question

The world is currently experiencing one of the most devastating pandemic in modern history. This pandemic is caused by a virus known as corona virus and the disease is referred to as COVID-19. A lot of conspiracy theories and speculations have since emerged and are being spread everywhere. Identify some of the major conspiracy theories and false information regards COVID-19 and argue scientifically why such information is not correct.

Answer 1

Claims that hand sanitizer is merely "antibacterial not antiviral", and therefore ineffective against COVID-19, have spread widely. While the effectiveness of sanitiser depends on the specific ingredients, most hand sanitiser sold commercially inactivates SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.

The virus escaped from a Chinese lab

This one at least has the benefit of being plausible. It is true that the original epicenter of the epidemic, the Chinese city of Wuhan, also hosts a virology institute where researchers have been studying bat coronaviruses for a long time.

COVID was created as a biological weapon

A spicier variant is that COVID not only escaped from a lab, but it was intentionally created by Chinese scientists as a biowarfare weapon.

COVID-19 doesn’t actually exist

According to professional conspiracy theorists like David Icke and InfoWars’ Alex Jones, COVID-19 doesn’t actually exist, but is a plot by the globalist elite to take away our freedoms.