Where to Get Information About Coronavirus

It is important to be well-informed during such an unpredictable time. COVID-19 has quickly spread through the United States and in order to keep our communities safe, we must keep up with the latest news. Unfortunately, misinformation is constantly being circulated around and it can be hard to differentiate facts from fiction. Not being well-informed can also be fatal, as seen in a case from Arizona, in which a couple took chloroquine after watching a television briefing in which President Trump spoke about the potential of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria medication, to treat COVID-19. According to NBC, the couple did not take the correct form of chloroquine and instead took fish medication, or chloroquine phosphate. The husband died shortly after taking chloroquine, and the wife was left in critical condition. Scientists and doctors dealing with the pandemic urge people to call their doctor before self-medicating. Officials also urge citizens to stay safe and be well-informed. Although, it can be hard to find out which sources to trust, as many are outdated and filled with misinformation.

A great place to get information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. The CDC is a federal service and is working directly to deal with Coronavirus. On their website, they provide the latest news about the pandemic and include recommendations to follow to protect yourself and your family. Another part of the website also includes information about the disease itself and what to expect in the coming weeks. It is beneficial to take information directly from their website, rather than a news source providing a briefing on their guidelines. If you think you might be at risk of contracting the virus the World Health Organization’s website provides a list of symptoms as well as more information about the virus.

Another great and reputable source is getting information directly from a White House Briefing. There are plenty of live streams that cover what the President and Coronavirus taskforce suggest citizens do in these troubling times. They occur almost every day and the transcripts and summaries are also posted on the White House website: (White House Website). In these briefings, you can learn about what policies are being used to combat the virus, and you can also hear from officials who are dealing with the pandemic firsthand. The briefing also includes suggestions and precautions to be protected.

A more local source of information is to watch a briefing from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker on YouTube, which is broadcasted by PBS. In his briefings, he announces information about how Massachusetts is dealing with Coronavirus. This briefing is very beneficial to view as it covers local information and provides direct guidelines for citizens in Massachusetts to follow. Every state has a different situation at hand, and it is important to act according to what is suggested by officials from Massachusetts, as well as national officials. Although, it is important to know that these briefings occur less frequently than White House Briefings, and that some of the information may be outdated.

For a more visual representation of the virus, John’s Hopkins provides a great map that showcases all the cases of Coronavirus nationally. In the United States, cases are broken down by states and by districts. Worldometer is another great source which provides a numbers breakdown of the case, based on the country and then by State. The information on Worldometer is updated frequently, and the numbers in Massachusetts are updated every day at 4:00 pm.

In these times it’s important to not only learn about the pandemic but to also get the correct information. It is also vital to not panic but to remain calm and to think about your health and safety.

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