Topline Misinformation about the coronavirus is a pressing threat to public health, and according to researchers at Cornell University who analyzed over 38 million articles about the pandemic published in English-language media around the world, “the president of the United States was the single largest driver of misinformation around Covid,” as mentions of Donald Trump “comprised 37.9% of the overall misinformation conversation.” Donald Trump speaks to reporters on his way to Marine One on September 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C. … [+] Trump is traveling to Minnesota for a fundraising event and a campaign rally. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Key Facts The study states that when individuals are misled by false assertions about the nature and treatment of Covid-19, they are less likely to follow the advice of medical experts and health officials and, consequently, contribute to the spread of the virus. The findings of the study, which was published Thursday, identified 11 widespread misinformation/conspiracy-theory subtopics but that media mentions of President Trump made up by far the largest share of what the World Health Organization has termed an “infodemic.” In March, Trump declared antimalaria drug hydroxychloroquine a “game-changer,” and, in April, he suggested at a White House briefing that an “injection inside” the human body with a disinfectant such as bleach could combat the virus. (At the first presidential debate, Trump claimed his suggestion was sarcastic.) According to the Cornell study, the most prevalent topic of misinformation, by far, was “miracle cures,” which accounted for more misinformation than the other… Click below to read the full story from Forbes
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