Table 3.
breakdown of COVID-19 misinformation beliefs in surveys 2 and 3, note: percentages may not equal 100 due to incomplete questions
| Variable | Survey 2 (N=1558) | Survey 3 (N=1295) |
|---|---|---|
| % (n) | ||
| A biological weapon designed by the government of China | ||
| No | 51.0 (794) | 48.6 (630) |
| Yes | 16.6 (258) | 24.4 (316) |
| I don’t know | 32.4 (506) | 23.5 (304) |
| A virus designed by the pharmaceutical companies to sell their drugs | ||
| No | 60.1 (936) | 58.2 (754) |
| Yes | 10.6 (165) | 22.2 (288) |
| I don’t know | 29.3 (457) | 16.1 (209) |
| An exaggeration by news media to cause fear and panic | ||
| No | 74.6 (1163) | 73.2 (948) |
| Yes | 10.2 (159) | 9.2 (119) |
| I don’t know | 15.2 (236) | 13.7 (177) |
| A plague caused by sins and disbelief in human beings | ||
| No | 69.3 (1079) | 71.5 (926) |
| Yes | 9.6 (151) | 14.3 (185) |
| I don’t know | 21.1 (328) | 9.9 (128) |
| Designed to reduce or control the population | ||
| No | 54.2 (844) | 48.9 (633) |
| Yes | 16.4 (255) | 20.8 (270) |
| I don’t know | 29.4 (459) | 26.8 (347) |
| A biological weapon designed by the United States government | ||
| No | 65.5 (1021) | 65.9 (853) |
| Yes | 4.6 (71) | 22.9) (297) |
| I don’t know | 29.9 (466) | 7.3 (95) |
| A result of 5G technology being installed in the country | ||
| No | 61.4 (956) | 59.8 (775) |
| Yes | 8.2 (128) | 23.9 (310) |
| I don’t know | 30.4 (474) | 12.4 (161) |
% (n): results show percentages (%) and number of respondents (in brackets) per question