Does gargling with saltwater kill Coronavirus? Here's the truth

These days, a viral image is circulating across social media depicting that gargling water with salt or vinegar “eliminates” the coronavirus. This false advice has spread like a wildfire. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), there’s no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus to date. But there are a few questions that people have been asking, like -- Does gargling with saltwater kill coronavirus? Read on to know more details.

Does gargling with saltwater kill Coronavirus?

Many posts and videos have been rotating by social media users that explain tips or methods to cure coronavirus. Among those, a recent post has surfaced the internet which claims that gargling with salty water or vinegar “eliminates” the deadly virus, which is untrue. No such information has been passed by any medical organisation. So the answer to the question of whether saltwater gargling kills coronavirus is no.

Saltwater gargling and Coronavirus 

Shared on Facebook and Instagram, the viral picture talks about false information regarding Coronavirus. It says that before reaching the lungs, the Coronavirus remains in the throat for four days. It also states that by consuming lots of water and gargling with warm and saline water or vinegar helps in eliminating the virus.

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According to the World Health Organization, to this date, no specific medicine is recommended to prevent and treat the coronavirus. As per a report, an associate professor from Yale University, Charles Dela Cruz states that saline water or water with vinegar helps to soothe a sore throat. However, it does not assist in killing the virus. He also added that one does not rinse the virus away so that it does not reach one’s lungs.

According to a report, The United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports the symptoms of coronavirus. It says that fever, cough, or shortness of breath appears within fourteen days of exposure to the virus. Therefore, Charles Dela Cruz, director of the Yale University’s Center for Pulmonary Infection Research and Treatment, advised that the key to preventing coronavirus from spreading is to “limit getting infected”. He emphasised on the fact that one should wash their hands with soap regularly. He also suggests avoiding touching faces, massive crowds and close contact with sick people.

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