Coronavirus Project
Welcome to the Coronavirus Project. This new initiative of FAS aims to debunk misinformation circulating the web on matters of public health and safety, as well as provide clear and sourced information for policymakers. Below, we cut through the noise to present clear information and advice for the public, policymakers, and reporters looking for scientist-led and evidence-based analysis.
Our projects
Translating science for the public
Summaries of scientific papers making research on the SARS-CoV-2 accessible
Scientist Q&A
Answers to questions from the public surrounding causes, cases, and more about SARS-CoV-2
Disinformation reports
On social media, disinformation can spread quickly. Science, with archaic terminology and complex communications challenges, is particularly vulnerable when it comes to the impact of disinformation. In these reports, we track the trends, hot topics, and impact of science, medicine, and COVID-19 disinformation, from conspiracy theories to coordinated campaigns.
9/23/20: Vaccine news stories hosting malware disseminated across Spanish-language Twitter
9/02/20: Global enthusiasm and American trepidation in Russian diplomatic vaccine efforts
8/14/20: #Plandemic to #Scamdemic
7/30/20: Masks, microchips, Michigan, and misinformation
7/16/20: 5G, Fauci, and a Forbes interview
7/2/20: Testing increases, deadly masks, and lab-engineering and other myths
Shareable social media PSAs
Below you’ll find a series of PSA images explaining why and how to wear a mask. You can find PSAs in Spanish. Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, French, Hebrew, Italian, Urdu, and Farsi. You can view and download images on Imgur.
Congressional hearings
- Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: An emerging disease threat: How the U.S. is responding to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus
- Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee: Are we prepared? Protecting the U.S. from global pandemics
- House Foreign Affairs Committee: The Wuhan coronavirus: Assessing the outbreak, the response, and regional implications
Helpful links
- COVID-19 @ home
- “Coronavirus”, World Health Organization
- “2019 Novel Coronavirus”, CDC
- “What we know about the new, novel coronavirus: A timeline”, PRI
- “How epidemics like COVID-19 end (and how to end them faster)”, The Washington Post
- “UPDATED: Timeline of the Coronavirus”, Think Global Health
- “A Timeline of the Coronavirus”, The New York Times
Coronavirus Project and Ask A Scientist in the news
- “It Takes a World to End a Pandemic”, Foreign Affairs
- “10 Ways Scientists Can Help During The COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic”, Forbes
- “Coronavirus Uncertainty Plagues the Experts, Too”, Bloomberg
- “Scientists answer COVID-19 questions on new website”, Neuroscience News
- “Ways Scientific and Technical Experts Can Volunteer to Help with Coronavirus/COVID-19 Response”, Medium
- “More Reedies Helping Us Get Through the Coronavirus Pandemic”, Reed Magazine
- “NYU Research Update”, New York University
FAS Coronavirus Team
Ali Nouri
President
@AliNouriPHD
Mike Fisher
Senior Fellow
@mykfish
Neekta Hamidi
Fellow
Lindsay Milliken
Research Assistant
Diana Rayes
Research Assistant
Kathryn Kohn
Communications Manager