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. 2020 Dec;12(4):482-486.
doi: 10.1002/wmh3.367. Epub 2020 Aug 20.

How Partisanship Affected Public Reaction to Potential Treatments for COVID-19

How Partisanship Affected Public Reaction to Potential Treatments for COVID-19

Thomas L Brunell et al. World Med Health Policy. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

President Trump mentioned the potential antiviral benefits of hydroxychloroquine as the COVID-19 crisis became evident in the United States. Politics and mass media in the United States have been undergoing a process of partisan polarization over the last 20-30 years. While partisanship has long affected reactions toward news or information, particularly when it comes from an elected official, the situation appears to be worsening in American politics. Even a search for potential cures or useful medication in the face of a public health crisis is hampered by partisanship and polarization.

Keywords: COVID‐19; political polarization; public health.

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References

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