PolitiFact and MediaWise are teaming up to debunk misinformation about the coronavirus crisis. To have Coronavirus Facts delivered to your inbox Monday-Friday, click here.
As I mentioned yesterday, this week could be a tipping point for states and localities when it comes to easing COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
So how do people in the U.S. actually feel?
Americans, many of whom have been stuck at home for several weeks, may dream of returning to the pre-coronavirus “normal,” but only in a theoretical, aspirational sense. Polling has consistently shown that Americans do not want to become fully open right now, because they perceive a serious health risk from doing so.
PolitiFact looked at six national polls and three state or local polls.
MediaWise: Be wary of information about states reopening on social media
As circumstances surrounding #covid19 change, you may start seeing more information about businesses reopening on your timeline. BE ON HIGH ALERT! As consumers of news and information AND concerned citizens, we all should know where to go to find accurate info. Here’s the deal… pic.twitter.com/BMEEr6y1QK
— MediaWise (@mediawise) April 22, 2020
If you want information about whether businesses are opening in your area, check what your local and state officials are saying. Read the Twitter thread»
Facebook post claims Democrats “refuse” to return from vacation
Both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are in recess until May 4 to avoid transmitting the coronavirus. No political party has refused to come back. Read the fact-check»
Fact-check: hospitals and COVID-19 payments
An article shared on Facebook questions whether the count of COVID-19 patients is inflated, saying hospitals have a financial incentive to claim that a patient has the virus. Get the facts».
Did herd immunity curb COVID-19 deaths in California?
There’s no evidence herd immunity has limited coronavirus deaths in California, which adopted stay-at-home measures before New York did. Read more»
Alex Mahadevan is a senior multimedia reporter at MediaWise. He can be reached at amahadevan@poynter.org or on Twitter at @AlexMahadevan. Follow MediaWise on TikTok.
