Los Angeles,
04
March
2020
|
06:01 AM
America/Los_Angeles

Reliable Sources for COVID-19 Info

Learn Where You Can Turn for the Most Dependable News on the Global Outbreak

Summary

Editor's Note: This story was updated on Oct. 14, 2021

With the onslaught of news and information on the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be challenging to know where to turn for reliable facts.

“Unfortunately, there are quite a few rumors and a lot of just plain wrong information about COVID-19 out there, so people really have to be careful to make sure that they are getting real facts from real experts,” said Richard Riggs, MD, senior vice president of Medical Affairs and chief medical officer at Cedars-Sinai.

To help the public better assess the news surrounding the virus, Riggs and other experts at Cedars-Sinai listed their top go-to resources: 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—The CDC's dedicated website for COVID-19 includes regular updates on all aspects of the disease. It features extensive information on coronavirus vaccines, including myths and facts, side effects, where to get vaccinated, booster shots, and official vaccination cards. The site also tracks COVID-19 cases and deaths, vaccines administered and transmission levels by county, and has information for schools, businesses, community centers and travelers.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health—The county Department of Public Health (LADPH) offers online resources ranging from infographics and hand-washing best practices to guidance for schools and workplace leadership. The COVID-19 Info section features the latest health orders and travel advisories, plus information on home isolation, quarantine and contact tracing. There are daily updates on cases, testing positivity rate and vaccine distribution, plus a vaccine locator and information on precautions against breakthrough infections.

healthychildren.org—This website, created by the American Academy of Pediatrics, has an extensive section of articles on COVID-19 and children. They cover protective measures, such as masking and distancing, and their effects on kids, age-based tips for parents working from home during the pandemic, multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), keeping kids safe at school, and preparing children for COVID-19 vaccination. The information is also available in Spanish.

MedlinePlus—This library of health information for the public, curated by the National Institutes of Health, includes links in English and Spanish with explainers about symptoms, prevention, diagnosis and tests, statistics, research and clinical trials. There is information for specific populations, such as children, women and older adults. The Other Languages link takes readers to information in 35 languages. There's even a medical encyclopedia to help with technical terms.

Major Newspapers—Several major newspapers have made their online COVID-19 coverage free to access.

  • The Los Angeles Times—The COVID-19 section at the L.A. Times lets readers subscribe to a free "Coronavirus Today" newsletter and offers a collection of its articles. The "What You Need to Know" section includes links to articles on a variety of coronavirus-related topics.
  • The New York Times—The newspaper's COVID-19 coverage includes continually updated news reports, plus sections on the vaccine, maps and trackers, schools, travel, the economy, and a tribute to lives lost.
  • The Washington Post—Daily live updates, U.S. and world case maps, vaccine and delta variant FAQs, a vaccine tracker, and info on booster shots and daily pandemic living are available in the paper's "Coronavirussection.

The World Health Organization—On the World Health Organization (WHO) website, experts provide a global perspective on the COVID-19 virus, while also sharing individual best practices on topics like vaccines, masking and other protective measures against the disease. There is technical information targeted to public health officials and clinicians, but also travel advice, frequently asked questions and regular news updates for the general public.