CLEVELAND — As officials in China ramp up efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, researchers are busy.
Dr. Claudia Hoyen, a pediatrician also responsible for infection control at University Hospitals and Rainbow Children’s says you should be more concerned with something else.
“The most important thing right now is for us to be focused on what’s really impacting people in Northeast Ohio, and that’s the flu,” says Dr. Hoyen.
Social media rumors are questioning if it’s safe to eat Chinese food and if it’s possible to get the coronavirus from it.
“For most restaurants in the United States, they’re sourcing food from the United States. So I don’t see where I could make a link like that,” says Dr. Hoyen.
Google trends also revealed a lot of people are searching for “Corona beer virus”. The virus has no connection to the beer.
If you’re questioning whether or not to buy something made in China, Dr. Hoyen says think about what a product has to go through in order to arrive in Cleveland.
“We’re talking about weeks to a product being made and then weeks to it being shipped. The likelihood of something surviving that is low. I mean think about it, have we heard from anyone in this country who has gotten coronavirus from something they’ve ordered in the mail? We haven’t,” says Dr. Hoyen.
For now, Dr. Hoyen recommends maintaining good hygiene and to keep in mind there are less than 10 cases of coronavirus confirmed in the entire country.
“I think for the general population, freaking out is not helpful! I think we should all be focused and vigilant to protect ourselves from the flu,” says Dr. Hoyen.
There is no vaccine for the coronavirus right now. Dr. Hoyen says since Flu two different strains of the flu are being confirmed, keep in mind it’s not too late to get your flu shot to protect yourself.