Rumors I Have Heard about COVID-19 If You Care

M.D. here in New Orleans... just would like to run through some information about the actual virus if you are curious.

I wouldn't place full stock in this information just rumors floating around the medical community here

1. The only thing that kills the virus is bleach
Have heard this from multiple sources. A little windex or degreaser on your countertop won't do the trick. Apparently a bleach based cleaner will clear a surface of the virus in 10 seconds

2. Virus can remain ariborne in a hallway for ~10 minutes
This is the most tenuous information to provide here. I have heard various data from CDC that it is not so "airborne" as initially thought. That is why social distancing is such a huge factor to employ. If you are 6 feet away from someone you will increase your chances of not being infected. This is why being at a bar with tons of people congregating talking face to face is such a horrible situation. Initial reports from China were that the virus was droplet and any contact with a mucous membrane even the eyeballs would result in infection.

3. Apparently certain HIV anti-retroviral medications and chloroquine can shorten the disease course
I have seen published medical literature from several case reports on this, consider this level 4 evidence



4. Have heard from multiple sources that ACE-inhibitors and aldosterone receptor blockers (commonly used medications for someone with high blood pressure) significantly increases the disease severity
EDIT: Credit to Jake88 for providing citation that it is actually the opposite, these medications provide a protective effect against the disease



ANYWAY - just interesting things I've heard....

EDIT: chloroquine, not quinidine...
EDIT 2: ACEi's and ARBs actually help