A National Strategy to Counter COVID-19 Misinformation
Summary
The United States accounts for over 20% of global deaths related to COVID-19 despite only having 4% of the world’s population. This unacceptable reality is in part due to the tsunami of misinformation surrounding COVID-19 that has flooded our nation. Misinformation not only decreases current compliance with best practices for containing and mitigating the spread of COVID-19, but will also feed directly into resistance against future administration of a vaccine or additional public-health measures.
The next administration should establish an office at the Department of Health and Human Services dedicated to combating COVID-19 misinformation. This office should lead a coordinated effort that:
- Ensures that evidence-based findings are at the core of COVID-19 response strategies.
- Utilizes data science and behavioral analytics to detect and counter COVID-19 misinformation.
- Works with social-media companies to remove misinformation from online platforms.
- Partners with online influencers to promote credible information about COVID-19.
- Encourages two-way conversations between public-health officials and the general public.
- Ensures that public-health communications are supported by on-the-ground action.
The United Kingdom is modernizing its stockpile of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, as detailed today in the Federation of American Scientists latest edition of its Nuclear Notebook, “United Kingdom Nuclear Forces, 2024”.
FAS believes the resolution is a necessary advancement of scientific understanding of the devastating consequences of a nuclear war.
The U.S. should continue its voluntary moratorium on explosive nuclear weapons tests and implement further checks on the president’s ability to call for a resumption of nuclear testing.
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