COVID-19 misinformation by the United States
U.S. Surgeon General @Surgeon_GeneralSeriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!
They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can't get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!
bit.ly/37Ay6Cm
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Misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic has been propagated by various public figures, including officials of the United States government. The Trump administration in particular made a large number of misleading statements about the pandemic. A Cornell University study found that then-president Donald Trump was "likely the largest driver" of the COVID-19 misinformation infodemic in English-language media.[3] Trump downplayed the virus and promoted unapproved drugs. Other officials were accused of spreading misinformation, including then-U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, backing conspiracy theories regarding the origin of the virus,[4][5] several U.S. senators, and then-New York City mayor Bill de Blasio, who downplayed the virus.
The United States Department of Defense conducted a clandestine social media operation to spread disinformation about Chinese COVID-19 vaccines in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. This operation was initiated under the Trump administration in early 2020 and discontinued by the Biden administration in early 2021.[6]
- ^ "You were told no mask if you don't have coronavirus. That might be wrong. | Bridge Michigan". www.bridgemi.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Bacon, John. "'Seriously people - STOP BUYING MASKS!': Surgeon general says they won't protect from coronavirus". The Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Weiland, Noah (October 22, 2020). "Study Finds 'Single Largest Driver' of Coronavirus Misinformation: Trump". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2021.(Study) Archived February 14, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "US chief diplomat Pompeo backs coronavirus Wuhan lab claims". DW.COM. May 3, 2020. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ Lopez, Linette. "Here's an idea why Secretary of State Pompeo keeps spreading the conspiracy theory that coronavirus escaped from a Chinese lab". Business Insider. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
- ^ Bing, Chris; Schechtman, Joel (June 14, 2024). "Pentagon Ran Secret Anti-Vax Campaign to Undermine China during Pandemic". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024.