Infectious Disease Specialist Clarifies That COVID-19 Can’t Be Spread By Letters Even If It’s ‘Sabotaged’

Remember back when Covid-19 first started? People were afraid that their online shopping parcels sent over from China will infect them.

We thought it was the end of it when experts assure that it’s improbable for Covid-19 to transmit via mailed packages.

Unfortunately, people are gullible and paranoid. As evidenced by the recent panic-buying.

And Gov.sg has to come out and debunk rumours about Covid-19 spreading through postal items (again).

Covid-19 Transmission Via Post is Fake

On 28 Mar 2020, Gov.sg announced that the alleged audio recording of a Malaysian infectious diseases specialist spreading via WhatsApp is false.

The recording claimed that Covid-19 is being spread through postal articles.

Various experts have stepped forward to debunk the rumour, including Dr Leong Hoe Nam, the manly dude who came out to answer FAQs about Covid-19.

He explained that given Singapore’s hot and humid environment, the virus won’t be able to survive once it’s exposed to the environment.

In fact, Singapore’s environment is so toxic to the virus, he assures, that even if a Covid-19 patient was to intentionally cough onto your mail, it’ll never survive the journey.

The time it takes for the letter to reach the post office and leave the sorting machine would’ve killed it off.

“Once the virus is exposed to the hot humid environment of Singapore, it will begin to rapidly break down. Even if someone deliberately sabotages the mail, the virus will never survive to reach your mailbox. The time it takes to post and for it to leave the sorting machine will kill it. Even if your mail is sealed with a kiss, the virus will die by the time it reaches your mailbox.”

Nonetheless, he says, it’s a good practice to wash your hands after handling mails.

Heck, it’s a good practice to wash your hands after handling anything.

The Malaysian Infectious Disease specialist who supposedly made the recording denied ever making it.

Relevant Malaysian authorities, as well as IMDA and SingPost, has debunked on the rumour as well.

Always Verify Before Sharing

These days, if you want to go viral, simply add the word coronavirus into your post and boom.

Billions of people pay attention to them.

And there are tons of people who love attention and think that spreading #fakenews about Covid-19, possibly adding to the panic, is acceptable.

Here are a couple of tips you might want to keep in mind the next time you receive something about Covid-19, or other news, on WhatsApp or Facebook:

1. Don’t forward first;
2. Ask “Sure Anot”
3. Check and verify

You can find out more here.

And keep yourself updated correctly by bookmarking MOH’s website here and registering for the Gov.sg’s WhatsApp service here.