Facts and prevailing myths on COVID-19 among the general public, India: a cross-sectional survey

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 is a dreadful respiratory infectious disease that has rapidly spread worldwide. It is not a new disease for this World, but it shows alarming effects globally, and its sudden increase in incidence and spreadcausing misperception and fear among the general population. Due to the rapid rise in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths per day across the World, the health care system has been affected the most. It is expected that the morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 infection will increase shortly as there is no actual medication or vaccine developed to date against the virus.¹ The occurrence of an epidemic and pandemic is a periodic phenomenon, and the community faces many challenges. Lack of knowledge and misconception often leads to arousal of myths among the community. As research into COVID-19 continues, many facts about it are continuously changing and are developing many myths in the general population regarding the prevention and management of the infection. In the extensive use of social media, these myths and fake news on corona are spreading rapidly.²

There are many myths associated with the spread and cure or treatment of COVID-19 infection in society. These myths are traveling from one person to the other through social media platforms. These myths can be very dangerous, as these can lead to a reduction in actually needed practices, and following some of these myths can lead to other health hazards. Myths related to COVID-19 infection can be grouped into those related to the spread of infection, source of infection, preventive measures, and curative measures.³

Various health authorities such as the WHO, Centre for disease control and prevention (CDC), Ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW), India had listed some of the prevailing myths to increase awareness about the infection and have provided factual information about COVID-19 in their websites.^4-7 Even after creating awareness and providing adequate information to the general public through telecommunication such as radio, television advertisements, public health messages, distributing pamphlets or signboards at public places about infection control measures and mode of spread of the infection, still, there are a large number of myths exist among the general population. Myths influence the perceptions about health, and so that it ultimately affects the cause and cure of the health-related problems possessed the need for the study. According to WHO, there are elevated myths due to quarantine and lockdown in affected areas.⁷ The number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb every day across the World, including in India. Being the 2^nd most populous country and the risk of transmission of covid-19 is very high, the researcher felt the need to assess facts and prevailing myths regarding COVID-19, especially among the general public.

METHODS

The present study adopted a quantitative approach using a cross-sectional design toassess the myths on COVID-19 among the general public by convenient sampling technique. The material used to collect the data was sociodemographic proforma and a structured questionnaire with 20 dichotomous questions with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ option developed by the investigator.

The CVI of the tool was 0.81. The reliability of the tool was established with internal consistency (Cronbach alpha= 0.80). Ethical permission was taken from Institutional Ethics Committee (T/IM-NF/Nursing/2020/57). Data were collected through an online platform due to pandemic situations to avoid the spread of infection. An online structured questionnaire was distributed using Google forms, with a consent form added to it. Questionnaire link was sent through whatsapp, facebook, email, instagram, and other media to contact the investigator. On receiving and clicking the link, the participants got auto directed to the study's information and informed consent. Digital consent was obtained online from all the participants. After accepting to participate in the survey, participants filled up the demographic details, followed by myths questions related to COVID-19. Total 367 responses were recorded. The collected data were coded and entered into an excel spreadsheet, and data were analyzed using R software.

RESULTS

Demographic information of the study participants

The mean age of the study participant was 36±5 years. More than half (57.2%) of the participants were female. More than three fourth (88%) of them were married. More than half (60.8%) of the participants were employed, and (68.4%) belonged to the Hindu religion. More than half (58.3%) of the participants had completed under graduation, and 19.6% were already exposed to COVID-19 infection. Nearly 68% of them mentioned that they received information on COVID-19 infection and prevention through social media (47%).

Nearly half of the study participants (47%) mentioned that the source of information received on COVID-19 was through social media.

The study identified six topmost myths on COVID-19. Taking a hot bath prevents coronavirus infection (93.5%), thermal scanners detects COVID-19 infections (40.3%), prolonged use of face mask prevents COVID-19 air entry (42.5%), houseflies transmit COVID-19 disease from one person to other (33.8%), mosquito bite transmits coronavirus (32.4%), and Only older people and children are more susceptible to COVID-19 (30.8%).

More than three-fourths believed that holding breath >10 seconds without cough does not mean being infected with COVID-19. It was found that myths were present among the general public in various domains of COVID-19 like transmission, treatment, and prevention.

DISCUSSION

Comparing myths on COVID-19 with myths related to flu, leprosy, and tuberculosis, some commonalities exist on significant themes of myths, including causation, disease transmission, and duration. However, COVID-19 infection affected globally within a short period, and social media's influence made it complicated as it is available to everyone in the World. Hence, the speed of spread of myths was breakneck and extended across the globe. Lack of potential medicine, the vaccine has led to multiple questions about various aspects of COVID-19 infection. Evidence-based research findings stated that prolonged viral shedding in feces was seen in symptomatic and recovered patients with COVID-19.^8-10

More myths and stigma were prevailed on the communicability of COVID-19 by those who recovered from COVID-19 infection and health care workers working in COVID-19 wards/hospitals, and they were harassed by the general public residing in the housing complex.^11,12 Awareness towards COVID-19 has been disseminated by WHO, CDC, and health ministry through various portals, but the public should be made aware of following appropriate and authentic websites to update their knowledge on COVID-19.^4-7 Each individual should be encouraged to question the authenticity and degree of evidence of a publicized strategy on cause, transmission, the treatment being circulated or disseminated by any agency or individual before be believing the facts related to COVID-19 blindly.

Besides, awareness should be enhanced by mass media or another portal in-order to follow the evidence-based preventive practices, including social distancing, cough and mask etiquette, hand hygiene, and other infection control measures to protect everyone from infection.

Awareness activities and strategies should be encouraged to reach all possible communication mean to erase the emerging myths. Taking legal action against individuals and agencies to disseminate false news and fake claims during the pandemic situation is mandatory. The media should not mislead the general public by discussing the scientific evidence related to COVID-19 infection unless and until that evidence had been proved unequivocally.

CONCLUSION

Since the time of immemorial, myths have been widely prevalent about various communicable diseases. Its cultural influence had an impact on society to various degrees. With evidence-based approaches and in due time, these myths should be proved wrong. COVID-19 pandemic and its uncertainty had risen to various myths widespread, and stigma had risen because of these myths.

Hence, organizations and health authorities should take all the possible steps to demystify the myths on COVID-19 in due time.

Funding: No funding sources

Conflict of interest: None declared

Ethical approval: The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee

REFERENCES

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