Never mind the political messenger: When it comes to COVID-19 guidance, trust the message, experts say
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s trip to a posh restaurant in November to celebrate a friend’s birthday prompted swift backlash – and even Newsom himself said he could have modeled better behavior.
His ill-conceived dinner came after pleas to locals to avoid social gatherings to stop the spread of COVID-19 over the holidays. It was just one instance of politicians who endorsed coronavirus-related restrictions engaging in behavior they told their constituents to avoid.
Politicians are human messengers, experts told USA TODAY. They can – and sometimes do – fail to model the proper behavior to slow the spread of the coronavirus. That doesn’t mean people should give up on mitigation measures recommended by public health officials such as wearing masks, social distancing and washing their hands.
The actions of politicians can do "extraordinary damage," said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director for the American Public Health Association.
“You lose the authority to be able to get people to do what you ask," Benjamin told USA TODAY. "It also undermines people’s belief that what you’re saying is real, so people don’t follow your advice because they don’t think you’re serious about it.”
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Americans should follow the advice of public health officials, experts said – even if politicians fail to do the same. The coronavirus is raging through the USA, which had more than 16.2 million confirmed cases Monday and record-breaking daily death totals.
“We actually have, in this country, standardized emergency protocols for different versions of crisis,” said Deborah Glik, professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “Fire, you look to the fire service. Terrorism, you look to the FBI or the police. In a pandemic, the leadership falls on the health sector.”
Trust public health leaders to model appropriate behavior
Newsom isn’t the only politician who ducked his own coronavirus restrictions.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock apologized for flying to visit family members in Mississippi even as he tweeted out advice to avoid traveling over Thanksgiving.
In early November, as health officials warned of an impending COVID-19 spike, Steve Adler, the mayor of Austin, Texas, hosted an outdoor wedding and reception with 20 guests for his daughter at a trendy hotel near downtown.
He followed that with a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
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“Research would confirm again and again, when people feel that what’s asked from them is not actually followed by those in power, there’s a sense of betrayal that will occur,” said Dominique Brossard, professor and chair of the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
She said: “That betrayal can destroy trust. As soon as trust is destroyed … recommendation and regulations ... will tend not to be followed, as well.”
The public wouldn't be wrong to stop taking such politicians seriously, said Karl Minges, chair of the Department of Health Administration and Policy at the University of New Haven's School of Health Sciences. Frustrated citizens should turn to health leaders – not political critics looking to capitalize on an opponent's faux pas.
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Health leaders understand the uniquely local nature of COVID-19 in their community and are often on the front lines fighting the virus – so they tend to be more diligent about following health guidance, Minges said. Often, they're the ones behind the scenes, informing the politicians.
The protocols set by officials have chafed – pandemic fatigue has set in nationwide.
“That’s part of the problem we have,” Glik said. “When you set out abstinence-only rules, it’s easier to break them.”
She said setting public health rules, then not abiding by them is a “smaller sin” than not having any coherent messaging or plan. It’s a statement Minges echoed, saying politicians who set a bad example are better than those who set no example.
“At least you’re providing that guidance to begin with," Minges said, even if it eventually is undermined.
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What is the role of the politician in a pandemic? They should be messengers of critical information – on mask wearing and social distancing in the case of COVID-19, Minges said.
Changing people's behavior is hard, and health officials have limited means of communicating their message, Minges said. Ad campaigns, statements from high-profile disease experts such as Anthony Fauci and the public support of politicians are among the most effective methods.
Elected officials will make mistakes, Brossard said. Recognizing and owning those mistakes is critical to rebuilding trust.
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“We shouldn’t look to them as examples,” she said. “But they should give us the example, do you see the difference? ... They need to realize they represent the people.”
UCLA’s Glik said people aren’t used to having public health departments play such prominent roles in their lives. While the pandemic continues, even as vaccines are on the way, health officials will set the tone.
“We haven’t really seen this level of disaster,” Glik said. “Typically, it’s a food-borne outbreak or a measles outbreak, and they’re smaller, they’re more contained, they're more regional. At that point, yes, the health department steps in and does its thing, but people aren’t freaked out by it.”
Contributing: Winston Gieseke, The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, California); Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman
