COVID-19 beliefs influenced by politicians, not scientists, researchers suggest

COVID-19 beliefs influenced by politicians, not scientists, researchers suggest
As COVID-19 upended societal norms when it swept through the United States in 2020, a second pandemic – or “infodemic” – was also on the rise. An analysis of Twitter users by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and University of Texas, Austin, suggests that Republican-identifying individuals who believe their local government has positive intentions are vulnerable to believing politically fueled COVID-19 misinformation.