--- title: COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are a Public Health Threat description: People who believe pandemic conspiracies are less likely to follow public health guidelines, a study found. canonical: https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/ author: Tara Law article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2020-09-21T21:05:18.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-14T09:07:03.273Z article:section: Health og:title: COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are a Public Health Threat og:description: People who believe pandemic conspiracies are less likely to follow public health guidelines, a study found og:url: https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6696334cfa455909/698a127216d8844526c38a04/COVID-is-a-hoax.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Re-opening Continues Across Densely Populated New York And New Jersey Areas og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are a Public Health Threat twitter:description: People who believe pandemic conspiracies are less likely to follow public health guidelines, a study found twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6696334cfa455909/698a127216d8844526c38a04/COVID-is-a-hoax.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 05:27 video:published: 2020-05-15 section: health topics: conspiracy theories, misinformation, coronavirus, social media, political partisanship, public health, science communication, credible sources, CDC, talking to family about misinformation genre: interview, explainer tones: serious, informative, empathetic, cautionary emotions: concern (high), empathy (medium), fear (medium) sentiment: neutral audience: general public, news consumers, health communicators, families dealing with misinformation, social media users people: Emily Vraga, Katie Couric, President Trump organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Health and Human Services content_suitability: health controversy [00:00-05:27]; politics [01:47-03:48] transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are Spreading Rapidly—and They're a Public Health Risk All Their Own > Sponsored content. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's weekday health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free weekday newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-health-2026q3/newsletters?i=dd0224a4-d505-4e66-8cde-c1ac85f661a5&cr=time-nl-health-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Why Conspiracy Theories Flourish Amidst Uncertainty [Watch (HLS stream): Why Conspiracy Theories Flourish Amidst Uncertainty](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ylORHpEe.m3u8) (5:27)  _Published 2020-05-15. Katie Couric interviews Emily Vraga, Associate Professor of Health Communication about why conspiracy theories are so dangerous right now._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Emily Vraga, a health communication researcher, explains why conspiracy theories and misinformation are especially dangerous during the coronavirus pandemic. She discusses how social media flattens the information environment, how partisanship shapes the reception of information, and where people can find credible sources. She also offers advice on approaching friends or family who believe false information, emphasizing empathy and verifying information before acting on it. ## Key points - Conspiracy theories offer solutions that are easier than the ones that actually work, giving false hope that can put people at risk. (00:00) - Conspiracy theories fill gaps where science lacks satisfying answers, and critics can exploit scientists saying 'we don't know' or changing their conclusions with new evidence. (00:13) - Misinformation gives frightened and isolated people an illusion of control by offering concrete actions they believe protect themselves and others. (00:37) - Social media puts non-credible and highly credible sources side by side and lets believers find others who share a conspiracy theory and provide social support. (01:01) - Some studies suggest misinformation spreads faster than accurate stories because it has characteristics that attract attention and encourage sharing, while the truth must stay within clear-cut lines. (01:31) - Larger partisan gaps between elites in how they discuss the virus activate partisan filters, so information is interpreted through predispositions rather than objectively. (01:56) - Survey data shows the CDC and Health and Human Services are seen as quite credible by both Democrats and Republicans, so going directly to them can help. (02:40) - To engage a friend or family member spreading misinformation, start with empathy, validate their worldview without validating the misinformation, and share the latest data from a trusted organization like the CDC. (04:12) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:49] Why conspiracy theories are dangerous now. Vraga explains how conspiracy theories offer easy false solutions, fill gaps in scientific knowledge, and give frightened people an illusion of control. - [00:49 to 01:47] Social media and the spread of misinformation. Vraga describes how social media flattens the information environment, builds communities around conspiracy theories, and helps misinformation spread faster than accurate stories. - [01:47 to 02:31] Political partisanship and information. Vraga discusses how partisan gaps among elites activate partisan filters that shape how information on the virus is interpreted. - [02:31 to 03:00] Where to find objective information. Vraga points to the CDC and Health and Human Services as sources seen as credible across party lines. - [03:00 to 04:04] Gut feelings versus public health advice. Vraga criticizes President Trump's reliance on gut feelings over health experts and the appeal of easy cures, while officials say the crisis is a long haul. - [04:04 to 05:27] Talking to others and verifying information. Vraga advises approaching misinformed loved ones with empathy and stresses carefully checking information because dangerous behaviors affect everyone. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Emily Vraga: "Conspiracy Theories are particularly dangerous right now because they offer us solutions that are easier than the ones that actually work." - [00:37] Emily Vraga: "People are frightened and alone. Misinformation gives them the illusion of control, gives them something concrete that they can do that protects themselves and others, even if it's just an illusion." - [01:08] Emily Vraga: "It flattens the information environment so that information from not credible sources appears right alongside information from highly credible sources" - [04:12] Emily Vraga: "Start with a position of empathy and understanding." - [05:17] Emily Vraga: "Just like we need to take care to wash our hands, we need to take care to make sure the information we're getting is accurate." ## Questions this video answers - Why are conspiracy theories particularly dangerous during the coronavirus pandemic? [00:00] - How does social media contribute to the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories? [00:49] - How does political partisanship affect the way people receive information about the virus? [01:47] - Where can people go to get objective information about the coronavirus? [02:31] - What is the best way to approach a friend or family member who is using false information? [03:48] - Why does it matter to verify information before acting on it? [04:44] ## Content suitability - health controversy [00:00-05:27]: Discusses coronavirus misinformation and conspiracy theories and the risks of rejecting measures like social distancing, handwashing and masks. - politics [01:47-03:48]: Discusses partisan divides over the virus response and criticizes President Trump's approach to health experts' advice.  by [Tara Law](https://time.com/author/tara-law/)  ## Tara Law Sep 21, 2020 9:05 PM UTC Katie Couric interviews Emily Vraga, Associate Professor of Health Communication about why conspiracy theories are so dangerous right now.  by [Tara Law](https://time.com/author/tara-law/)  ## Tara Law Sep 21, 2020 9:05 PM UTC Public health crises have spawned conspiracy theories as far back as when the Black Death ravaged Europe in the 1300s, as people desperately try to make sense of the chaotic forces disrupting their lives. While modern science offers a better understanding of how diseases infect people and how to contain them, [COVID-19 conspiracy theories](https://time.com/5887437/conspiracy-theories-2020-election/) are spreading rapidly via social media, unreliable news outlets and from our own political leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. The result: many Americans now believe pandemic-related conspiracy theories—and, alarmingly, those same people are less likely to take steps to prevent the virus from spreading. In a University of Pennsylvania Annenberg Public Policy Center study [published Monday](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795362030575X?via%3Dihub#bib10) in _Social Science & Medicine_, researchers surveyed a group of 840 U.S. adults—first in late March, and then again in mid-July—to determine how Americans’ beliefs and actions regarding the pandemic changed over time. Overall, they found that COVID-19 conspiracy theories are not only commonplace, they’re gaining traction. Back in March, 28% of people believed a [debunked rumor](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/09/coronavirus-origins-misinformation-yan-report-fact-check-cvd/) that the Chinese government created the coronavirus as a bioweapon; that number rose to 37% by July. About 24% believed that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exaggerated the virus’ danger to hurt Trump politically despite a lack of evidence; by July, that figure rose to 32%. And in March, about 15% of respondents said they believed that the pharmaceutical industry created the virus to boost drug and vaccine sales—another unfounded theory—compared to 17% in July. Whether or not someone thinks NASA hired Stanley Kubrick to fake the moon landing has little bearing on the world beyond that person. But in the case of a pandemic—which requires people to follow public health guidance in order to keep one another safe—conspiratorial thinking can have disturbing consequences. Indeed, the Annenberg study found that only 62% of people who were most likely to believe the coronavirus conspiracies said they [wear a mask](https://time.com/5861295/masks-covid19-spread-fighting/) every day when they’re around other people away from home, compared to 95% of non-believers. Furthermore, people who believe COVID-19 conspiracy theories were 2.2 times less likely to say they wanted to [receive a vaccine](https://time.com/5887777/rushed-vaccine-democrats-republicans/) in March; by July, they were 3.5 times less likely to want to be vaccinated. “Belief in pandemic conspiracy theories appears to be an obstacle to minimizing the spread of COVID-19,” said Dan Romer, Annenberg Public Policy Center research director and a study co-author, in a statement. Where are people picking up COVID-19 conspiracy theories? Believers were more likely to be heavy users of social media and viewers of [conservative media](https://time.com/5881595/right-wing-conspiracy-theorists-coronavirus/) like Fox News, the study found. Meanwhile, people who watch other television news channels were more likely to follow public health guidance and to desire vaccination. While the researchers say they understand how pandemic conspiracy theories are spreading, they say it’s still a challenge to get believers to reconsider once they’re sucked in. [Other research](https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85033238001&origin=inward&txGid=7279f919b49ccd9398fbda7889ca217a) suggests that simply correcting false information doesn’t usually work—and can even cause some people to believe conspiracies even more deeply. “Conspiracy theories are difficult to displace because they provide explanations for events that are not fully understood, such as the current pandemic, play on people’s distrust of government and other powerful actors, and involve accusations that cannot be easily fact-checked,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Annenberg Public Policy Center director and study co-author, in a statement. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/"},"headline":"COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are Spreading Rapidly—and They're a Public Health Risk All Their Own","datePublished":"2020-09-21T21:05:18.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-14T09:07:03.273Z","description":"People who believe pandemic conspiracies are less likely to follow public health guidelines, a study found","url":"https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/","keywords":["COVID-19","UnitedWeRise20Disaster"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6696334cfa455909/698a127216d8844526c38a04/COVID-is-a-hoax.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tara Law","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tara-law/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6696334cfa455909/698a127216d8844526c38a04/COVID-is-a-hoax.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Re-opening Continues Across Densely Populated New York And New Jersey Areas","caption":"Re-opening Continues Across Densely Populated New York And New Jersey Areas","creditText":"Getty Images—2020 Noam Galai","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/covid-19/","name":"COVID-19"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/","name":"COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are Spreading Rapidly—and They're a Public Health Risk All Their Own"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Why Conspiracy Theories Flourish Amidst Uncertainty","description":"Katie Couric interviews Emily Vraga, Associate Professor of Health Communication about why conspiracy theories are so dangerous right now.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ylORHpEe/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2020-05-15T17:47:47.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ylORHpEe.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/","duration":"PT5M27S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5891333/covid-19-conspiracy-theories/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```