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| NYS Senator James Sanders |
Myth 1: Black People are Immune to Coronavirus
Last week, two notable individuals of African descent tested positive for COVID-19. Afro-British actor, Idris Elba and NBA player, Rudy Gobert (as well as many other black NBA players testing positive) had to self-quarantine due to contracting the virus. There have been many false assertions that black people can't be infected by COVID-19. However, there is no data suggesting that there is any racial or geographic immunity to coronaviruses. Otis Brawley--a professor of epidemiology and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health--said, "I want to be very clear — there is, despite many claims to the contrary, no truth, no fact at all in claims of genetic differences, immunity or susceptibility, to disease based on race."
Myth 2: Cold Weather Can Kill the Virus
Cold weather cannot kill the new coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization, there is no reason to believe that cold weather can kill the new coronavirus or other diseases. The normal human body temperature remains around 97.7°F to 98.6°F, regardless of the external temperature or weather. The most effective way to protect yourself against the new coronavirus is by frequently cleaning your hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer or washing them with soap and water.
Myth 3: Only Elderly People Can Be Infected by the Virus
This virus can infect anyone and any age is at risk for being infected. However, it is true that coronavirus is likely to significantly affect people over age 65 and individuals with underlying health conditions, such as asthma, cancer, diabetes and chronic heart disease. People in those groups are more likely to have a severe and sometimes fatal illness from a coronavirus infection. It is also important to note that younger, healthier people can be infected, show no symptoms, and pass the virus on to those more vulnerable populations.