Whitmer, Fauci Among MI's Most-Trusted Sources on Coronavirus

We have certainly come a long way since early March when we first started learning about Covid-19. Some of the things we thought we knew back then, have changed as we gathered more statistics and history. There has been much conversation and speculation about this virus, with politicians, law enforcement, social media, and medical experts all weighing in, sometimes with conflicting information. So much information from so many directions, who do we believe? We are trying to break down the massive amount of factual science information and a plethora of misinformation.

The World Health Organization has created a MythBusters site to reduce misinformation about Covid-19. Here in Michigan, it is important to understand where people are acquiring information about the virus, whom they trust, and how to overcome mistrust and information. The Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) and the Department of Learning Health Sciences (LHS) at the University of Michigan in late May, asked Michigan residents about their feelings about the trustworthiness of their information sources.

Key Findings from CHRT:

• Most respondents (74 percent) reported worries that misinformation about COVID-19 makes Michiganders less safe.

• There are many sources of information about COVID-19, but there is a significant mismatch between the most used sources of information and those that are the most trusted.

• Respondents reported their health care provider.as the most trusted source of information about COVID-19, but less than half of respondents reported getting information from their health care provider.

• Dr. Anthony Fauci and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) were reported as the most trusted public health officials, but respondents also reported high levels of trust for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

• Compared to official state and national public health sources, county health departments are less often used as sources of information about COVID-19 and less likely, overall, to be trusted.

• Respondents reported that the media and the Michigan Legislature are among the least trusted sources of information about COVID-19.