Facts in Q&A format

The Delta or B.1.617.2 variant of SARS CoV-2 (previously known as the “Indian variant”)was first detected in India in December 2020 and became the most commonly reported variant in the country from mid-April 2021. The mutations in the Delta variant’s spike protein help the virus to bette...

Although it is still too early to know, there is some evidence suggesting that the Delta variant reduces vaccine efficacy. Data from cases in England showed that the effectiveness of both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines had been lowered after one dose from 51.1% to 33.5%. But after a second shot...

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health authorities have cautioned against the use of hydrogen peroxide to prevent or treat COVID-19 as there is no scientific evidence to support the claim. ...

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a few pets — including cats and dogs — have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. This happened mostly after the animals were in close contact with people infected with the COVID-19 virus. Based on the limited availa...

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has said more research is needed before it could approve ivermectin for use in humans. “To date there is insufficient evidence for or against the use of ivermectin in the prevention or treatment of COVID-19,” SAHPRAsaid in a 2...

No. lberto Escherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in the US, affirmed that it is “very unlikely” that steam inhalation could treat the coronavirus. He added that "the virus in infected individuals is within cells and [can] not be reached by steam...

There isn’t a single definition of recovery. According to a team of global health experts at the Meedan Digital Health Lab, a review of Covid-19 recovery guidelines shows that two criteria are common when determining if a patient has recovered: the patient no longer has symptoms and the p...

An epidemic occurs when there is a higher than expected number of cases of an illness in a community or region. A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a disease, usually affecting a large number of people. More: Is the claim of a pandemic every 100 years accurate? ...

Malagasy president Andry Rajoelina has claimed that a herbal tonic, made from the artemisia plant, could cure Covid-19. The beverage, Covid Organics, was reportedly tested on fewer than 20 patients. In April, the National Academy of Medicine of Madagascar warned against the use of the tonic based...