Page 34 - 2021 White Paper
P. 34
1 White Paper on the Business Environment in China
had an impact. According to a Pew Research More broadly, 59% of Americans say at-home
Center survey conducted in late April, the majority treatments for serious cases of the coronavirus
of Americans said they needed to take breaks were not too or not at all effective; 38% say
from it, many said the constant news flow it made they are somewhat or very effective. Americans
them feel worse emotionally and half said they did express a fair amount of knowledge about
found it difficult to sift through what was true and some of the basic elements of one of the first
what is not, according to the survey. About nine- actions taken by the federal government to help
in-ten Americans (87%) were following coronavirus limit damage from the economic downturn: the
news fairly or very closely, a figure roughly on par CARES Act, signed into law by President Trump
with the previous month. In getting this news, on March 27. About nine-in-ten (91%) knew the
more than half the public (56%) said national news bill includes US$1,200 for many American adults,
outlets were a major source, and nearly as many about half (51%) identify the amount of money
(51%) said this of public health organizations and with the aid package as either US$2 trillion or
officials. Local news outlets were a major source US$2.5 trillion and nearly two-thirds (64%) knew
of Covid-19 news for 46% of the public, while 36% it increased unemployment benefits. Still, there
said state and local elected officials were a major was confusion about what else might and might
source for them. About three-in-ten US adults not be in the fast-moving legislation. While 52%
(31%) said President Donald Trump and the White knew the bill did not include federal aid for
House coronavirus task force were a major source undocumented immigrants, another 40% weren’t
of news about the outbreak. Americans were sure and 7% thought it did. Few Americans (8%)
focusing their attention on both national and local incorrectly said the bill included pay raises for
news related to the pandemic. Half of Americans members of Congress, but 54% say they were not
said they found it difficult to determine what was sure (Mitchell et al.).
true and not true about the outbreak, while 49%
say they found that task easy. And close to two- In the US, attitudes about the Covid outbreak
thirds of adults (64%) said they had seen at least differ widely by political party affiliation. But
some news and information about the coronavirus among Republicans, opinions also differ
that seemed completely made up (Mitchell et al.). considerably by source of news. Republicans and
GOP-leaning independents who relied most on
Within the rapid flow of news and information President Donald Trump and his coronavirus task
has been a stream of claims about Covid-19 force for news about Covid-19 – one of 10 news
– some with spotty evidence, some closer to sources the Center asked about – stand out in
speculation and still others deemed by experts several ways in their attitudes about the outbreak.
to be actively dangerous. The Pew survey asked For example, 89% of Republicans in this group said
about six of these purported treatments or causes the US had controlled the outbreak as much as it
to get a sense of how widely they had reached could have, compared with 59% of Republicans
across the US. Of the six, Americans were most who don’t rely most on Trump and the task force.
likely to be familiar with the claim that use of the Republicans who turn to Trump for coronavirus
anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could be news were also more likely than other Republicans
useful in treating the virus: 44% have heard a lot to say the pandemic had been overblown, that
about this. Three-in-ten US adults had heard a Trump was getting the facts about the outbreak
lot about the use of plasma transfusions from right and that public health organizations were
recovered patients as a treatment. Fewer heard not getting the facts right (The poll was fielded
a lot about vitamin C as a prevention (15%). In before Trump tested positive for the virus and
the survey, only 3% said they had heard a lot was hospitalized). Republicans who rely most
about the widely discredited claim that drinking a on Trump and the task force for Covid-19 news
form of diluted bleach sometimes called “miracle were more likely than other Republicans to say
mineral solution” was a way to treat current the outbreak has not merited the attention it has
cases. (The majority of the survey was completed received. About two-thirds in that group (65%)
before President Trump’s comments about said news organizations were giving Covid-19
using disinfectants to treat the virus on April 23.) too much attention. That compares with 55%
34
had an impact. According to a Pew Research More broadly, 59% of Americans say at-home
Center survey conducted in late April, the majority treatments for serious cases of the coronavirus
of Americans said they needed to take breaks were not too or not at all effective; 38% say
from it, many said the constant news flow it made they are somewhat or very effective. Americans
them feel worse emotionally and half said they did express a fair amount of knowledge about
found it difficult to sift through what was true and some of the basic elements of one of the first
what is not, according to the survey. About nine- actions taken by the federal government to help
in-ten Americans (87%) were following coronavirus limit damage from the economic downturn: the
news fairly or very closely, a figure roughly on par CARES Act, signed into law by President Trump
with the previous month. In getting this news, on March 27. About nine-in-ten (91%) knew the
more than half the public (56%) said national news bill includes US$1,200 for many American adults,
outlets were a major source, and nearly as many about half (51%) identify the amount of money
(51%) said this of public health organizations and with the aid package as either US$2 trillion or
officials. Local news outlets were a major source US$2.5 trillion and nearly two-thirds (64%) knew
of Covid-19 news for 46% of the public, while 36% it increased unemployment benefits. Still, there
said state and local elected officials were a major was confusion about what else might and might
source for them. About three-in-ten US adults not be in the fast-moving legislation. While 52%
(31%) said President Donald Trump and the White knew the bill did not include federal aid for
House coronavirus task force were a major source undocumented immigrants, another 40% weren’t
of news about the outbreak. Americans were sure and 7% thought it did. Few Americans (8%)
focusing their attention on both national and local incorrectly said the bill included pay raises for
news related to the pandemic. Half of Americans members of Congress, but 54% say they were not
said they found it difficult to determine what was sure (Mitchell et al.).
true and not true about the outbreak, while 49%
say they found that task easy. And close to two- In the US, attitudes about the Covid outbreak
thirds of adults (64%) said they had seen at least differ widely by political party affiliation. But
some news and information about the coronavirus among Republicans, opinions also differ
that seemed completely made up (Mitchell et al.). considerably by source of news. Republicans and
GOP-leaning independents who relied most on
Within the rapid flow of news and information President Donald Trump and his coronavirus task
has been a stream of claims about Covid-19 force for news about Covid-19 – one of 10 news
– some with spotty evidence, some closer to sources the Center asked about – stand out in
speculation and still others deemed by experts several ways in their attitudes about the outbreak.
to be actively dangerous. The Pew survey asked For example, 89% of Republicans in this group said
about six of these purported treatments or causes the US had controlled the outbreak as much as it
to get a sense of how widely they had reached could have, compared with 59% of Republicans
across the US. Of the six, Americans were most who don’t rely most on Trump and the task force.
likely to be familiar with the claim that use of the Republicans who turn to Trump for coronavirus
anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could be news were also more likely than other Republicans
useful in treating the virus: 44% have heard a lot to say the pandemic had been overblown, that
about this. Three-in-ten US adults had heard a Trump was getting the facts about the outbreak
lot about the use of plasma transfusions from right and that public health organizations were
recovered patients as a treatment. Fewer heard not getting the facts right (The poll was fielded
a lot about vitamin C as a prevention (15%). In before Trump tested positive for the virus and
the survey, only 3% said they had heard a lot was hospitalized). Republicans who rely most
about the widely discredited claim that drinking a on Trump and the task force for Covid-19 news
form of diluted bleach sometimes called “miracle were more likely than other Republicans to say
mineral solution” was a way to treat current the outbreak has not merited the attention it has
cases. (The majority of the survey was completed received. About two-thirds in that group (65%)
before President Trump’s comments about said news organizations were giving Covid-19
using disinfectants to treat the virus on April 23.) too much attention. That compares with 55%
34
