Rush Limbaugh Is Talk Radio’s Coronavirus Super-Spreader

On February 24, as cases of COVID-19 were just emerging in the United States, radio host Rush Limbaugh declared, “The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.” The dangerously inaccurate comparison prompted a wave of criticism, yet Limbaugh doubled down. The next day, he told his audience that he refused to “join a panic” over the virus, claiming, “I have no interest in lying to you about anything.” In fact, that is exactly what Limbaugh did for the next five months.

Few media figures have done as much as Limbaugh to downplay and distort the facts surrounding a virus that as of publication has killed more than 140,000 Americans. The host has claimed that the virus has been “weaponized” to damage President Donald Trump politically, spread conspiracy theories about inflated death counts, attacked members of the coronavirus task force, referred to masks as a “symbol of fear,” and argued that “No matter how many people die from coronavirus, it’s not going to equate to the damage done to the U.S. economy” by lockdowns.

This misinformation had an impact. One study showed that individuals who listened to Limbaugh or watched Fox News were more likely to believe the threat of the virus was exaggerated. And for an audience that skews older and is therefore more susceptible to potential health consequences, Limbaugh’s rhetoric has been especially irresponsible. Continue reading.