Fact Check- Does Shaving Your Hair Keep Coronavirus Away?

In Indore city, Madhya Pradesh which is the worst coronavirus-hit region in the state, people especially policemen have tonsured their heads as a preventive measure against contracting the deadly disease.

Representational Picture (AFP)

In Indore city, Madhya Pradesh which is the worst coronavirus-hit region in the state, people especially policemen have tonsured their heads as a preventive measure against contracting the deadly disease. According to a report by PTI, some of these men in khaki, with their shaved heads, were seen manning the streets of Chandan Nagar and other areas of the walled city during the COVID-19 lockdown. The report says that the Town inspector (TI) of  Chandan Nagar Yogesh Tomar said, "A Head Constable and four constables of Chandan Nagar police station have tonsured their heads to reportedly protect themselves from the virus, as they believe that the pathogen can latch on to their hair." Apart from this, police personnel deployed in the affected areas washed their hands frequently to stave off the infection, he added. Some policemen also believe that after tonsuring their heads they can apply sanitisers on their scalps as an extra precaution. A constable, on condition of anonymity, said he had tonsured his head as a preventive measure since he was deployed in one of the most severely hit areas of the city. "The shaved head also provides some respite from the summer heat," he added. Cops in Agra and few other areas were also seen sporting their bald heads, who shaved to prevent Coronavirus. However, there is no scientific proof that viruses latch on to hair or that going bald can prevent the virus from spreading. There has been no study about the risk of hair getting Coronavirus. The virus spreads through mucus membranes of the body, a person gets infected when an infected person coughs or sneezes or when a person touches a contaminated surface. Maintaining a regular and good hygiene routine is important. Washing your hands frequently or using an alcohol-based hand rub is advised by the WHO. According to the report chief medical and health officer Praveen Jadia said 544 people in the city had tested positive for COVID-19 so far, of which 37 had succumbed to the pandemic. The number of positive cases in India has reached over 11,000 in the last 24 hours. The number of deaths recorded so far is 377.