Facts And Truth Are Lifelines During A Pandemic

The difficulty in obtaining accurate information amid COVID-19 has prompted some to call this moment in our country an “infodemic.”

“Experts are not really rewarded for effectively communicating with the public.” — Justin Gest, George Mason University

While the stakes have never been higher, the challenge to get the facts right isn’t new. The country’s political environment has long been plagued with misinformation and limited access to expertise 

Listen: Why access to expertise is vital during COVID-19. 

Guest

Justin Gest is a Professor of Policy and Government at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government and he is also the author of a new book called “Mass Appeal: Communicating Policy Ideas in Multiple Media.” He says access to reputable information was an issue well before the pandemic.

“The ‘info-demic’ of the pandemic is not all that different from the ‘infodemic’ that preceded it,” says Gest. He adds that the public has a shortage of the most important facts, a problem that excludes people from making smart decisions.

The problem, Gest says, is the translation of research and facts from academics to the general public. Experts often haven’t developed a skill set for clearly communicating their research and findings to the public and aren’t incentivized to do so.

“Experts are not really rewarded for effectively communicating with the public,” says Gest. He says it’s up to the public to seek out trustworthy information, but more importantly, knowledge-holders must learn to clearly and concisely disseminate information.