Racine Sun

Bohners Lake issued the following announcement on July 16.

Who do you trust?

When it comes to coronavirus information, most Americans don't trust President Donald Trump. But they do trust Dr. Anthony Fauci — despite White House attempts to discredit the nation's top infectious disease expert.

Fauci himself described the attacks he has been facing as "a bit bizarre" and warned they would end up hurting the President. Nearly every aspect of the raging pandemic, from ventilator distribution to school reopenings, has become a political issue. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp's executive order to ban local municipalities from mandating masks is just the latest example of the power struggle.

But facts matter. And they are not good. The number of infected Americans is fast approaching 3.5 million. At least 39 US states are reporting an increase in the number of new cases from the week before. Hard-hit parts of Arizona and Texas are bringing in refrigerated trucks as morgues fill up. An influential model from the University of Washington is projecting 224,000 people will die from the virus by November 1 -- an increase of almost 16,000 from last week.

Facts and trust matter because the battle against this invisible, highly contagious enemy cannot be won without them. The novel coronavirus spreads when people interact with each other, so clear and consistent science-based guidance based on science is key. Confusion over what to do -- and what not to do -- is a major problem that could cause real harm.

Because the virus is brand new, some uncertainty is inevitable. Advice may need to change over time. How to avoid confusing the public as the message evolves? Communication expert Peter M. Sandman says one way to do that is by "emphatically and loudly warning the audience in advance to expect uncertainties, reversals, and even screw-ups."

The cardinal sin of crisis messaging? Overconfidence. Like saying the virus will disappear or that your state is doing just fine, even when the facts say otherwise.

Original source here.