#YouAsked Covid-19 Is mandatory mask-wearing by everyone effective? Source World Health Organization Short answer Is mandatory mask-wearing by everyone effective? Members of the general public have been discouraged from using surgical masks and N95 respirators amid global shortages of protective equipment for health workers. But recently updated guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) give examples in which “the general public should be encourag... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is it true that the US is to fund the Madagascar Covid-19 herbal ‘cure’ with $2.5m? Source US State Department factsheet Short answer Is it true that the US is to fund the Madagascar Covid-19 herbal ‘cure’ with $2.5m? In April 2020, the US Ambassador to Madagascar, Michael Pelletier, announced that the United States would provide Madagascar with Covid-19-related health assistance of $2.5 million to “strengthen the health response across the country including hospitals, laboratories and community health”. ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is Covid-19 in fact a bacterial infection? Source World Health Organization Short answer Is Covid-19 in fact a bacterial infection? No, Covid-19 is not caused by bacteria. According to the World Health Organization, Covid-19 is the disease caused by the new coronavirus – a respiratory virus that is spread by droplets from an infected person. Viruses and bacteria differ in a number of ways. Bacteria are “single-celled micr... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is it true that Covid-19 has been linked to strokes? Source New England Journal of Medicine Short answer Is it true that Covid-19 has been linked to strokes? Researchers are still learning about the possible complications of Covid-19. A study of 32 patients with both Covid-19 and strokes in New York found that they tended to be younger than stroke patients who didn’t have Covid-19 and that their strokes were more severe. They also had higher l... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is Covid-19 found in semen? Source JAMA Network Open Short answer Is Covid-19 found in semen? According to research published in the online journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA Network Open, traces of the new coronavirus were found in the semen of six men with Covid-19. This small study took place at China’s Shangqiu Municipal Hospital and involved 38 men – some who were in ... Back Full answer
Covid-19 Should you adjust your face mask every few minutes to stay healthy? Source World Health Organization Short answer Should you adjust your face mask every few minutes to stay healthy? No, the World Health Organization has advised people to avoid touching their masks while wearing them. Related: Face masks: protection or inadvertent harm? ... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Did Barack Obama urge Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines? Source Barack Obama’s office Short answer Did Barack Obama urge Africans to reject Covid-19 vaccines? Barack Obama’s office denied a claim, contained in a WhatsApp message, that the former US president had warned Africans against the use of “toxic” Covid-19 vaccines. Obama’s office said he had not made any statements about coronavirus vaccines and that he was pro-vaccination. Mo... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 Is palm oil a cure for Covid-19? Source World Health Organization Short answer Is palm oil a cure for Covid-19? There is no scientific evidence that supports the claim that palm oil is a cure for Covid-19. According to the World Health Organization, “some Western, traditional or home remedies may provide comfort and alleviate the symptoms of Covid-19”, but there is “no evidence that current medicine can... Back Full answer
#YouAsked Covid-19 What are the risk factors for the new coronavirus? Source World Health Organization Short answer What are the risk factors for the new coronavirus? Covid-19 can infect anyone, but some people are believed to be more likely to develop severe illness. Examples include patients who are older than 60 years and those with pre-existing medical conditions that “affect the cardiovascular, respiratory and immune system”. These conditions include lun... Back Full answer