Overcoming COVID-19 Misinformation: Lessons Learned at the Epicentre of the Outbreak in the USA

Abstract

THE COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the dire need to foster increased public confidence in mitigation and prevention strategies through more and better health literacy. More than 2 years into the worst public health crisis of the 21st century, we continue to be consumed by the most basic health questions: should I get tested for COVID-19, should I get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, and should I wear a mask? In many countries, the tension between personal freedoms and public good helps to fuel a global threat, with continued transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and its evolving, more infectious variants. This short essay discusses the negative effects of misinformation and disinformation, and shares recommendations based on lessons learned.