December 15, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University, the Department of Pharmacy Qian Shijing said this, salt water gargle can play a role in cleaning the mouth, for pharyngitis and certain allergic diseases can help. However, the new coronavirus is transmitted through the respiratory tract, that is, through the nose after inhalation, the virus adheres to the nasal cavity, trachea or lungs leading to disease, and salt water gargle can only clean the mouth, can not clean the respiratory tract.

Qian Shijing further said that there is no research results show that salt water has a killing effect on the new coronavirus, that is, even if the salt water touches the new coronavirus, may only give them a "bath", and salt water gargle can not wash away the new coronavirus stuck in the mouth.

"The virus is so tightly bound to the cells that it cannot be physically rinsed away. Doctors advocate washing hands with soap and water not because the water can rinse away the neo-coronavirus, but because soap destroys the fatty envelope on the surface of the virus, causing it to die, and the same is true for disinfection with alcohol. More specifically, the virus will react and lose its infectivity when it encounters soap or alcohol, but salt water does not have this effect. Therefore, once the new coronavirus adheres to the mouth, salt water is unable to strip it and inactivate it." Qian Shijing said, at present, only continue to adhere to the "three sets" "five also" to prevent the new coronavirus into our respiratory tract, in order to truly prevent the new coronavirus infection.