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FactCheck: No, drinking water every 15 minutes will not protect you from getting the coronavirus

That information you’ve heard about drinking water every 15 minutes to protect yourself from Covid-19.

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AS NEWS ABOUT the coronavirus Covid-19 has continued to dominate public discussion, misinformation has been flooding social media. 

As the virus continues to spread, so too do rumours about the outbreak – from which communities have become affected by it to how the outbreak is being managed by health authorities.

More recently, people have been seeing information circulating about how to protect themselves from coronavirus. 

One image that has circulated on social media in recent days is a message that appears to offer “useful info” from the Stanford Hospital Board and Japanese doctors treating Covid-19. 

Capture

While medical professionals are offering plenty of advice on trying to reduce the spread of Covid-19, such as regular hand-washing, this particular advice is FALSE.

Let’s take a look at the misinformation in more detail. 

The advice

The claim is being circulated on Whatsapp and on Facebook. On Whatsapp, it has been described as being “from a friend whos [sic] brother is at the Stanford hospital board”. 

The advice is said to be from Japanese doctors treating the coronavirus Covid-19. 

It tells people that they should take a few sips of water every 15 minutes, because “even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water and other liquids will wash them down through your throat and into the stomach”. There, the advice states, stomach acid will kill the virus. 

It has been widely shared on Facebook. One post, shown below, was shared nearly 200,000 times from an Irish Facebook page. 

Capture

Why it’s fake

Firstly, the message did not come from Stanford. A spokesperson for the Stanford School of Medicine in California confirmed to TheJournal.ie that the information did not originate with them. 

The advice is also not medically sound. Dr Kim Roberts, an expert in virology in Trinity College Dublin, told TheJournal.ie that the advice is not accurate. 

“You’re not going to wash the virus down into your stomach by drinking water,” she said. 

“Staying hydrated is a good idea because that helps keep respiratory mucus at the effective thickness so that any virus caught in the respiratory mucus is moved away by the normal mechanisms our bodies have to protect us from infection,” she said. 

But there is no evidence to support the idea that drinking water every 15 minutes will help protect you from coronavirus, according to Roberts. 

The claim has been widely debunked elsewhere too. The World Health Organisation tweeted last month that “while staying hydrated by drinking water is important for overall health, it does not prevent coronavirus infection”. 

Tweet by @World Health Organization Philippines World Health Organization Philippines / Twitter World Health Organization Philippines / Twitter / Twitter

The BBC Reality Check team also de-bunked the claim. Writing that a version of the same claim in Arabic has been shared over 250,000 times, the BBC quoted an Oxford University professor who said that there is “no biological mechanism” to support the claim. 

While coronavirus is a respiratory illness with symptoms such as fever, dry cough and shortness of breath, drinking water won’t be enough to prevent you from catching Covid-19. 

The best thing you can do is to regularly wash your hands and to reduce touching your face. 

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There is a lot of false news and scaremongering  being spread in Ireland at the moment about coronavirus. Here are some practical ways for you to assess whether the messages that you’re seeing – especially on WhatsApp – are true or not.

 STOP, THINK AND CHECK 

Look at where it’s coming from. Is it someone you know? Do they have a source for the information (e.g. the HSE website) or are they just saying that the information comes from someone they know? A lot of the false news being spread right now is from people claiming that messages from ‘a friend’ of theirs. Have a look yourself – do a quick Google search and see if the information is being reported elsewhere. 

Secondly, get the whole story, not just a headline. A lot of these messages have got vague information (“all the doctors at this hospital are panicking”) and don’t mention specific details. This is often – but not always – a sign that it may not be accurate. 

Finally, see how you feel after reading it. A lot of these false messages are designed to make people feel panicked. They’re deliberately manipulating your feelings to make you more likely to share it. If you feel panicked after reading something, check it out and see if it really is true.

With reporting from Aoife Barry

Have you gotten a message on WhatsApp or Facebook or Twitter about coronavirus that you’re not sure about and want us to check it out? Message or mail us and we’ll look into debunking it.
WhatsApp: 085 221 4696 Email: answers@thejournal.ie 

TheJournal.ie’s FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles. You can read it here. For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader’s Guide here. You can read about the team of editors and reporters who work on the factchecks here

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    Mute Little Diddy No
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    Dec 18th 2016, 10:58 AM

    If you have to go for a religion that would make the world a better place, this is surely the one!

    166
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    Mute Willie Penwright
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:17 AM

    @Little Diddy No: The Rohingya of Myanmar might disagree. All religions are means of controling the gullible so they can be used for fund-raising and even genocide.
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38345006

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:45 PM

    Wille. That particular conflict goes much deeper than what Ideology they follow. It is more to do with ethnicity and culture.

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    Mute Mairtín
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:49 PM

    Yes what about the ‘ Slaughter ‘ of the Muslims by Buddhist’s in Myanmar.!!!

    16
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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:01 PM

    As I said above Mairtin. It goes much deeper that who is Muslim and who is Buddhist. The Rohynga are not ethnic Burmese. They are more ethnically Indian/Bangladeshi. Around the 15th century there were a few small villages in Rakon State where they are now concentrated. But the British during the 18th and 19th century brought in many more Bangladeshi labourers to work on the rubber plantations. And the majority of them settled around the original population. And that is how the conflict began in earnest.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:25 PM

    The mental gymnastics on here is unbelievable. When there is fighting in Muslim countries they are systematically painted as “a bunch of head hackers”, when muslims are at the short end of it it’s “more complex” and “cultural”. The FACT is that Buddhist MONKS have been involved in violence against muslims in Burma. There is absolutely no getting away from that no matter what contorted excuses are made.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:30 PM

    Tony. You are simply ignoring the ethnic, cultural and historical differences. In the majority of Muslim originated conflicts it is based entirely on ideological grounds.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:55 PM

    6/10

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:20 PM

    Buddhists worldwide (including the Triratna order, it seems – see below) routinely condemn the actions of so-called monks in Burma who preach pure hatred in clear contradiction of everything the Buddha taught (check the verses of the Dhammapada to verify), especially non-violence.
    As Irish Dharmic practitioners will surely testify, there is no such thing as a non-practising Buddhist.
    http://www.thejournal.ie/rohingya-ethnic-cleansing-3101698-Nov2016/

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    Mute Alois Irlmaier
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    Dec 19th 2016, 4:10 AM

    @Little Diddy No: Christianity works but too many wearing fancy dress ruin it for everyone…

    1
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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Dec 19th 2016, 9:30 PM

    @Little Diddy No: Buddhism is not a religion per se

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    Mute Abby Wynne
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:15 AM

    The path to happiness is to disconnect from material things and reconnect to the self. Lovely article.

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    Mute Congress Tart
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:16 PM

    @Abby Wynne: was that tweeted using your iPhone or Macbook?

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    Mute Craig Barry
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    Dec 19th 2016, 9:31 PM

    @Congress Tart: how else could she post a comment?

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    Mute Patrick Fagan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:09 PM

    Buddhism is not a religion it is a way of being. Vippassana teaching would say even to identify yourself as a buddist is not healthy.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:15 PM

    @Patrick Fagan: I’d say it’s more of a practice. But then it’s so people-centred it’s different things to different people.

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    Mute Scarlett Milton
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:42 AM

    a Buddhist monk goes into his dentist, he tells his dentist “,no injections” as he wants to ,transcend dental medication, an old one but i love

    40
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    Mute Jesper
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:49 AM

    Buddhism isn’t a religion.

    38
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    Mute Lord Clanricarde
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:01 PM

    “How do Irish Buddhists live?” : Peacefully I bet!

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:26 PM

    Not in Burma.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:24 PM

    The Ethnic Burmese who happen to be Buddhists are in conflict with the Rohynga who are Ethnically Bangladeshi and who happen to be Muslim. Very much like the conflicts around Europe such as in France with their Ethnic North Africans in daily conflict with French Authorities or Turks in Germany. But in Burma on a State level.

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    Mute Breas
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:31 AM

    silly middle class people who reject Christ in favor of lies

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    Mute weeya
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:25 PM

    Oh the irony Breas… completely lost on you I’d say?!

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:28 PM

    0/10. Try harder.

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    Mute Dublin Living
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:35 PM

    It’s not the “largest religious grouping in Ireland outside of Christianity and Islam”. Atheists and non-religious are certainly the second biggest grouping here.

    Note: I said ‘grouping’ like the article says, not ‘religion’. Buddhism is not a religion as such either. Buddhists are typically atheists also.

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    Mute winston smith
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:34 PM

    Atheists, Agnostics and the like are not a religion so can’t be included.

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    Mute Dublin Living
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    Dec 20th 2016, 8:41 AM

    @winston smith: I’m well aware they are not a religion, I even said that. I said it’s a grouping which is correct. It’s very important to acknowledge that the non-religious are a very large proportion of the country and not just pretend that they don’t exist.

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    Mute Padraig
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:32 AM

    The country’s first copper domed Buddhist temple is now being built in West Cork.
    irishexaminer.com/video/news/watch-the-countrys-first-copper-domed-buddhist-temple-is-being-built-in-west-cork-430205.html

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:41 PM

    The thing about Buddhism is, it is all about how you live your life now will relate what kind of life you have when you reincarnate next time around. The ideal for Buddhists is to reach a state of Nirvana so that their souls can leave the Wheel of Life and transcend. And Buddha himself is not a God that you Worship but the first Human to reach Transcendency, so as you (for want of a better word) pray and meditate you are aspiring to be like him.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:28 PM

    @Mick Jordan: That’s reasonably correct, apart from the souls bit. There are no souls in Buddhism, as the Buddha taught that nothing is permanent and fixed. So something continues after death, but it’s not a solid core of your being.

    Also how you live your life now will relate to what kind of life you will have in 10 years from now, or five, or a year’s time, or after Christmas, or next week. Or tomorrow. Or in while. Or right after you read this sentence. We’re all being reborn, all of the time, whether we like it or not. Easier to get with the programme :@)

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:50 PM

    I used souls in a loose concept to describe a persons essence so to speak.

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    Mute danny corrigan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:28 AM

    if a bear sharts in woods, can a falling tree hit the sound of one hand clapping?… or something like that

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    Mute Eye_c_u
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:17 PM

    Totally cool very zen. But 3rd biggest religion bit of a play with words there. A protestant would see a Catholic as different faith/religion and so on with baptist and the Mormons and jehovah witnesses. Obviously if you lump them all into one and Islam into the other there are not many more religions in the developed world. Break each down and it’s closer to the bottom. But would like to see it more mainstream and never thought as a person of science that I would ever say that about a religion

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    Mute Joey Westland
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    Dec 18th 2016, 12:16 PM

    Or you could just take a heap of codeine on an empty stomach.

    9
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    Mute Matt Shallow
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    Dec 18th 2016, 6:27 PM

    You don’t have to be a Buddhist to meditate. Just saying…..

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    Mute Mairtín
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:10 PM

    Buddhists believe in ‘Hell ‘, where people Burn, not so peaceful is it. They believe in Heaven, and believe ‘ Buddha ‘ is there, yet when I asked a Buddhist how he knew, he said : ‘ We just know ‘, no proof there. Ask questions of a Buddhist, like why they attacked ‘ Christians ‘ in Sri Lanka and beat them with Clubs.
    Why they ‘ Burn ‘ themselves in Protest when they can’t get what they want through legal means.
    In Myanmar Buddhist’s slaughter Muslims, burn down Villages , Reports of Rape and Murder.
    Ask questions, Buddhists don’t like pertinent questions, left of too easily, taken in by all that Talk of peace . In the Town where I come from, Monks expect their people to Feed them, in order to get ‘ Merit ‘ from the ‘ Three corner Gem ‘.
    And ‘ Buddha was conceived by an Elephant touching his Mother.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:26 PM

    Mairtin. Is it not the case where the local people are happy to share a small portion of their food with the Monks because it gains them merit. And as for conflicts very very few practicing Buddhists would claim to be perfect. Hence striving for perfection over many many turns on the Wheel of Life. And just as with nature everthing in Buddhism such as Heaven there must so be it’s opposite Hell. Yin and Yang.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:25 PM

    @Mairtín: The Buddhist hell is a mental space of pain and suffering, rather than a physical place. Many of us move in and out of us in our lifetimes. You may know it yourself.

    Secondl, the Buddha was born a human, but trascended his limitations through effort and ethical conduct to achieve nirvana, or complete mental and physical liberation.

    (As an aside, I wonder whether Tibet would be a haven for terrorist activity, guerilla warfare and bombings if the people there were anything but Buddhist?)

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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Dec 18th 2016, 1:57 PM

    Yee never checked your facts, Hindu is the third biggest religion according the 2016 census. There are only 8.703 Buddhist in Ireland.

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    Mute Claire Bracken
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    Dec 18th 2016, 8:13 PM

    @Martin Sinnott: Hmm, that’s interesting, considering the full 2016 census results – including religious breakdown and so on – won’t be available until next year.

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    Mute Grey Beard
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:19 PM

    There is a darker side to Buddhism that most people are unaware of including most Western “Buddhists” For example that belief that people born disabled are deserving of such because they must have done something bad in a previous life. Every Religion has their bad points I guess but Buddhism isn’t the worst.

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    Mute Stakeknife
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    Dec 19th 2016, 6:05 PM

    That’s not even partly true. You could be confusing it with Hinduism there.

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    Mute Scarlett Milton
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    Dec 18th 2016, 11:43 AM

    it

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:27 PM

    My own flavour is Bushido Zen.

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    Mute Mick Jordan
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    Dec 18th 2016, 2:37 PM

    The Way of the Warriors.

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    Mute Frau Perchta
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    Dec 22nd 2016, 11:31 AM

    Where are the stats from the CSO with the data to back up the claim of 3rd largest?

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