Can drinking alcohol protect you from coronavirus?

With 30 positive cases of COVID 19 and a huge number of suspected cases in the capital and around, everyone is in a state of panic. Drug stores are out of masks and sanitizers as people are stocking up on them. While the health ministry and WHO are releasing advisories, people are believing just about anything and everything they are reading online. Among several WhatsApp forwards, one encouraged people to drink alcohol to stay safe and kill the deadly virus. Let’s dive straight in to know the truth.
The single answer to this is NO!
Can alcohol kill coronavirus?
Once the virus has already entered the body, spraying alcohol on your body or drinking it cannot kill it, says the World Health Organisation. In fact, spraying alcohol can be harmful to clothes and mucus membranes (eyes and mouth).

You can use alcohol and chlorine to disinfect the surfaces, but they should be used under appropriate recommendations, says WHO. So, it is wrong to say that consuming alcohol or beer products can help prevent the COVID 19.

What you can do?

Using hand sanitizers with more than 60 per cent alcohol is an effective way to kill microbes. The virus has an envelop structure which alcohol can attack, but drinking alcohol won’t help if the virus has already entered your body.

In order to protect yourself from catching the virus, WHO recommends everyone should frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60 per cent alcohol in them. Also, avoid touching your face until you wash your hands.