90-Second Read: Data is not enough: from Covid to measles, America must relearn risk communication | Lynne Peeples

As a Hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship appears to be petering out, Ebola cases continue to mount in Africa. The Covid-19 pandemic turned millions of people into direct consumers of data dashboards, statistical models, and risk calculations. Meanwhile, we're already dealing with persistent measles outbreaks across parts of the US and the world, a disease so contagious that nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed will contract it, and one for which we have effective prevention.

Alongside them have emerged familiar artifacts of the Covid era, including dashboards, trackers, maps, risk estimates, and a polarized mix of alarming and dismissive takes. The most trusted Covid data dashboards specified "confirmed cases" and "confirmed deaths". In February 2020, the US surgeon general tweeted: "Seriously people, STOP BUYING MASKS!" He stated they were not effective in preventing the public from catching Covid.

Research from Covid and earlier outbreaks linked greater trust in public institutions, medical experts, and media with greater adherence to public health guidance and lower anxiety. As the US hosts millions of visitors for the 2026 World Cup, amid persistent measles outbreaks around the world, that gap becomes more dangerous. Most of us encountered that crisis through journalists and public health officials who helped us interpret complex information.