I think the media is proving to be very helpful, because unlike in Defoe’s case where the disease was only understood and heard about through individual, face to face communication, we are able to see the severity of the spread and learn ways to limit transmission. Despite the benefit of the media, I completely agree that it is also become a platform for fake news, conspiracies, and opinions to spread. All of these things are detrimental in our understanding of the virus and can negatively impact how we cope with it. I have noticed that people have taken to social media to rant about their opinion on the economic dispute on whether or not to continue to shut down and I have heard people spin that into a conspiracy about the election and politics. I think media needs to be used to raise awareness and keep the population properly informed- not just on statistics but also a more descriptive explanation of what’s happening like you said.