AKRON, Ohio -- Myths about at-home remedies to prevent or cure the COVID-19 coronavirus have some people taking large doses of vitamin C, and pointing hot hairdryers at their face as a way to heat up their sinuses. But they are just that - myths.

Dr. Michael Tan, an infectious disease specialist at Summa Health in Akron, said no scientific evidence exists to back up those mythical claims. And he warned that taking extreme measures in search of cures could have dangerous consequences.

At this point, Tan said, there is no cure for COVID-19. There are clinical trials underway for a vaccine and an anti-viral compound that may have the potential treat coronaviruses, “but unfortunately, it’s not something that is readily available to the general public, or even to the medical community,” he said.

The rumor about taking mega-doses of vitamin C has been circulating on social media, including by some wellness YouTubers and influencers who say that a doctor in China has used the vitamin to cure COVID-19 patients.

“I don’t think there would be any data to actually back that up,” Tan said. “We know that there are some benefits of doing vitamin C and zinc when we’re talking about cold viruses, but specifically for coronaviruses and COVID-19, there’s really nothing to support that claim.”

The doctor has also heard myths about killing the virus by drinking hot beverages and “superheating” your sinuses by pointing a hot hairdryer up your nose.

“Those also are not shown to be helpful for coronavirus, especially if you’re trying to superheat your sinuses with things like a hairdryer or other heating elements,” Tan said. “That can certainly be a lot more dangerous and a lot less productive than just practicing good hand hygiene and social distancing.”

Tan said the best prevention is to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including recommendations to wash your hands, avoid touching your face and practice good social distancing.

The best places to get trustworthy information are from the CDC, the Ohio Department of Health and local health departments, he said.

See previous: No, you can’t test for coronavirus by holding your breath or stop it by drinking water: Debunking COVID-19 myths