Actor and notorious anti-vaxxer Rob Schneider is pushing misinformation about coronavirus treatments.
The former "Saturday Night Live" cast member is perhaps better known in recent years for his attacks on the Centers for Disease Control and for pushing bogus claims that vaccines cause autism, and he's at it again now during as the coronavirus outbreak threatens to turn into a pandemic.
Schneider, who has nearly 794,000 followers on Twitter, also pushed out claims about vitamin C by anti-vaccine activist Barb Loe Fisher -- whose National Vaccine Information Center is affiliated with a supplement marketer.
A number of bogus cures or treatments for coronavirus have circulated on social media -- such as Vitamin C, garlic or the so-called Miracle Mineral Solution, which can turn into bleach when mixed with citric acid.
Vitamin C can sometimes help reduce the risk of common cold for patients who exercise regularly, and regular use of some supplements can help shorten a cold, but there's no evidence it can treat or cure colds, flu -- or coronavirus.
That hasn't stopped Schneider, Loe and other purveyors of dubious scientific claims from pushing Vitamin C as a coronavirus treatment, and those posts have been shared tens of thousands of times online.
Physicians recommend researching the illness and its possible treatments in reputable medical journals dedicated to public health, and not selling any products.
Those who show symptoms of infection -- such as fever, cough and shortness of breath -- is advised to call a doctor for more information.
