Int J Environ Res Public Health . The Role of Conspiracy Theories in the Spread of COVID-19 across the United States

[tetano]

Int J Environ Res Public Health


. 2021 Apr 6;18(7):3843.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073843.
The Role of Conspiracy Theories in the Spread of COVID-19 across the United States


Fu Gu ^{1 2 3} , Yingwen Wu ² , Xinyu Hu ² , Jianfeng Guo ⁴ , Xiaohan Yang ^{4 5} , Xinze Zhao ^{4 5}



Affiliations

• PMID: 33917575
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18073843

Abstract

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inspires various conspiracy theories, which could divert public attention, alter human behaviors, and consequently affect the spread of the pandemic. Here we estimate the relation of the online attention on COVID-19-related conspiracy theories to human mobility, as well as to the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases, during 14 March 2020 to 28 August 2020. We observe that the online attention to COVID-19 conspiracy theories is significantly and negatively related to human mobility, but its negative impact is noticeably less than those of the attention to official information and personal protection measures. Since human mobility significantly promotes the spread of COVID-19, the attention to official information and personal protection measures lowers COVID-19 cases by 16.16% and 9.41%, respectively, while attention to conspiracy theories only reduces the COVID-19 cases by 6.65%. In addition, we find that in the states with higher online attention to COVID-19 conspiracy theories, the negative relation of the attention to conspiracy theories is much weaker than that in states where there is less concern about conspiracies. This study stresses the necessity of restricting the online transmission of unfounded conspiracy theories during a pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; conspiracy theory; human mobility; mediation analysis; official information; personal protection.

[sharon sanders]

"This study stresses the necessity of restricting the online transmission of unfounded conspiracy theories during a pandemic."

Typical China government propaganda. Actually the birth of conspiracy theories is the result of information control by the power elite - in every country.

[bertrand789]

the first disinformation is the non-production of figures, civil or military:
-military: an example
UK: During WWII, Special Forces operations were more transparent than today

https://www.les-crises.fr/royaume-uni-pendant-la-seconde-guerre-mondiale-les-operations-des-forces-speciales-etait-plus-transparentes-qu-aujourd-hui/

-civil: an example
Indian variant of Covid-19 in Le Havre: sailors from an oil tanker placed in isolation
https://france3-regions.francetvinfo...-al-isolement- 2071390.html


Yesterday I was offered to read this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=1wul4z8pmzU

He claims to be a lawyer, he should have the obligation to write a book on the consequences of the real discovery of the cause, at the legal level, that would make him grow a little ...

It worked, but in terms of analysis quality, it's poas the top ...

[bertrand789]

"Certains r?sidents ayant perdu l'odorat et d'autres souffrant de fi?vres ou de fortes toux, les policiers soup?onnent des cas de Covid-19. Ils ont donc d?cid?s de laisser le groupe sur place, en attendant d'avoir des consignes sur les pr?cautions sanitaires ? suivre. Les Etats-Unis font face ? un pic des travers?es ill?gales ? leur fronti?re avec le Mexique, avec 172.000 arrestations en mars, un niveau in?dit depuis quinze ans." https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/Inte...maison-1736374

the trips : https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8...8D%8F%E5%AE%9A

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/democrat-senators-write-to-biden-supporting-india-s-trips-waiver-proposal-101619931010503.html