Republicans 10 times more likely to say Covid-19 death count is overestimated, shows survey
The US has lost 100,000 lives in just over four months to the coronavirus. Still, only 40% of the Republicans believe that Covid-19 is deadlier than the flu, according to recent findings of a poll conducted by the Knight Foundation. The survey also found that people supporting the Grand Old Party are 10 times more likely to say that the disease is killing fewer people than estimated.
However, a majority of Americans, including 87% of Republicans, understand how the virus spreads. "There is no difference in awareness about how the coronavirus spreads between Democrats, Republicans and independents," the report read. This changes when it comes to death rates. Researchers think political discourse has something to do with it. What is more, the news diet is also responsible for swaying public opinion.
People following Fox News, for instance, are more likely to belive the death rate is exaggerated. The flu kills 0.1% of those infected, meaning one in 1,000 patients dies from the disease. Covid-19 is far deadlier: it has a death rate of 5.9% in the US, according to Johns Hopkins University. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom stressed that the coronavirus disease is "very contagious and it is a killer".
Knight Foundation surveyed people between March 17-29 and April 14-20, 2020, and found that many supporters of the Grand Old Party think the disease is not as fatal as portrayed. In April, 40% of Republicans agreed the death rates are higher than flu, a drop from 42% who held that opinion in March. Democrats, on the other hand, said that Covid-19 is more lethal, with 87% believing that in April, up from 74% the previous month.
They also fielded questions on the official Covid-19 death tally. Overall, 48% of American adults believe the official death count is understated, while 26% believe it is overstated and, 25% believe it is accurate. Among political ideologies, 50% Republicans and 5% Democrats think the official figures on fatalities are overestimated. In other words, the former group is 10 times as likely to say that.
In contrast, 44% of Independents and 72% Democrats believe the official figures are understated, meaning they do not reflect the ground situation. Recently, Dr Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, testified to the US Senate that the death rate is almost certainly higher than the official count. The differences of opinion between different political leaning may boil down to media coverage. "While the New York Times and Washington Post published lead stories on how the official death count is understated, Fox News aired segments suggesting this figure is likely inflated," according to the report.
The Knight Foundation suggests that political leaders and news organizations push back against false information that poses health risks to Americans’. "Yet, given the extent of polarization in the country, not any messenger will do. Research shows that only messengers — like politicians and popular news outlets — deemed credible by their audiences are well equipped to debunk misinformation and that the message must be clear, consistent, and unequivocal," says the report.