Where does COVID-19 information come from?

• Because COVID-19 is a unique virus, researchers (e.g., Imperial College London MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center) are learning about it at the present moment.
• As their reports are published, they are used by government agencies and organizations (e.g., World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Oregon Health Authority, Douglas County Health Network) to make recommendations and take actions within their authority.
• Governments  (e.g., the State of Oregon) then make specific orders based upon those recommendations that require the public to take specific actions. 
• News and other sources write articles to share the above information with the public which is also shared via social media. This is the stage where the information is frequently misrepresented because news sources or individuals may, for example, not take the time to understand the information completely or may misrepresent the information purposefully to gain people's attention. 

Be responsible: Check the original source

Since this affects all of us and it is so new, there is so much information and misinformation being spread. It is essential that when you hear something, that you verify it before sharing it with others or making decisions based upon that information.  

• If it is a news source, read the original source that the it is discussing.
• If you heard it by word of mouth, look up the information to verify it. 
• If it is on social media, do not share the source until you have looked at the original source and verified that the information is correct. Often, the titles of the social media posts are misleading and are completely different from the information in the actual article. 

For example, if you read a social media post  with a link to a news article, before sharing it, go read the news article and then read the original source that the news article is discussing. For example, if it is discussing a report from the Imperial College London MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease, go to their website and read the report yourself. There will usually be a good summary that you can read.

Our decisions matter 

This is incredibly important because the decisions that each of us makes until COVID-19 is no longer a threat matter to us as individuals and to everyone on a global level. Let's all make decisions based upon quality information. 

Here are some sources of information to help you learn about COVID-19 to help you make decisions.

Research

Public Health Organizations/Government Agencies

Government Information

To find COVID-19 information for specific states, cities, or counties, do a web search for COVID-19 and the name of your state, city, or county. Make sure that you choose a COVID-19 page that is on the official website of your respective state, city, or county.

Example: 

• Web search terms: COVID-19 Washington State
• Website found in search results: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/