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VERIFY: Rubbing antibiotic cream in your nostrils won't prevent coronavirus

Home remedies and unproven preventative measures are being shared online contributing to a false sense of security about how to protect yourself against coronavirus.

WASHINGTON — So far, there are more than 83,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus across 60 countries. But misinformation about the coronavirus is spreading much faster than the virus itself. 

As concerns rise, so do questions about what's happening and how people can be prepared.

Home remedies and unproven preventative measures are being shared online contributing to a false sense of security about how to protect yourself against the coronavirus.

RELATED: VERIFY: No, eating garlic will not protect you from coronavirus; nor will gargling mouthwash

THE QUESTION

Can rubbing Neosporin or another antibiotic cream inside your nostrils prevent you from getting coronavirus?

OUR SOURCES

Marc Lipsitch: The director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health. 

Olivia Carter-Pokras: Epidemiologist from the University of Maryland's School of Public Health. 

The World Health Organization 

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THE ANSWER

No. Health experts universally agree antibiotic cream is not effective at preventing coronavirus.

WHAT WE FOUND

Antibiotics are effective at killing bacteria, not viruses. 

"It's not a good idea," Harvard Epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch said. "Neosporin is an antibacterial agent. This is a virus. It doesn't have any effect on viruses." 

To prevent a virus from spreading, one of the top things is to keep your hands away from your face.

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University of Maryland epidemiology professor Olivia Carter-Pokras tells the WUSA9 Verify team, the only true way to prevent coronavirus is to do the same things you would do to avoid getting a cold or flu -- washing your hands, not touching your face and staying at least six feet away from anyone displaying illness symptoms.  

Credit: WHO

The World Health Organization has a lengthy list of myth-busting information about coronavirus HERE.

Credit: CDC

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also has a helpful guide on how to treat different types of illnesses.

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