Coronavirus has killed more than 200,000 people, shut down global economies, left millions of people out of work, and had drastic impacts on daily life.
Key points:
- Coronavirus scepticism cuts across the political spectrum, and is evident on both the left and the right
- It has prompted political rallies and is widespread on social media and online
- Experts say it is being driven by factors including fear and ignorance, and is frequently politicised
But a sizeable minority across the world continues to insist the threat is overblown.
In videos circulating online, on social media pages, at US political rallies and sometimes in the mainstream media, doubts about the severity of the disease continue to be expressed by coronavirus sceptics, naysayers and deniers.
"Dogged in their stupidity, thinking only of themselves, they are sure that it's all a hoax, or a media-hyped exaggeration whose falsity will soon be exposed."
Fake news and misinformation have spread as fast and as far as the virus itself, infecting social media newsfeeds across the world.
While those obsessed with 5G and bioweapon conspiracy theories have been vocal, they are by no means the only ones advocating views contrary to the scientific consensus surrounding the virus.
Who is downplaying it, and why?
Coronavirus scepticism has cut across the political spectrum, and can be found among those of conservative and progressive political persuasions.
University of Adelaide political expert Carol Johnson said while some left-wing civil libertarians opposed to the lockdowns had questioned the severity of the virus, the strongest opposition has come from the political right.
Professor Johnson said the global response to the pandemic had accorded well with the pre-existing beliefs of some fringe political groups "who see it as an infringement of their individual liberties".
"For example, right-wing groups who believe everything is a conspiracy by government, and big government is trying to intrude into our lives — basically they interpret the coronavirus in terms of that," she said.
"For them it would be 'government illegitimately trying to close down businesses, put people out of work, control how close people can stand to each other'."
Professor Johnson said it was likely that many climate change deniers had now morphed into coronavirus deniers.
"It is often related, in terms of those groups, to the anti-science argument, [and] there could be links to anti-vaxxers as well," she said.
University of Queensland virologist Ian Mackay agreed that those denying the seriousness of the virus had a similar perspective to anti-vaxxers.
"It does seem to be the same kind of mindset that will deny vaccines work, that will embrace treatments that clearly don't work for diseases and that will deny that the earth is round and that the moon landing happened," Associate Professor Mackay said.
"They are the kind of person who isn't happy with [what] they are told by experts and prefer to go and seek their own narrative."
Where is it happening?
Despite the impact of the lockdowns, statistics have shown most Australians approve of the way Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the state premiers have handled the coronavirus pandemic.
While there are voices of dissent in this country, coronavirus sceptics have proven to be loudest in other parts of the world.
"Particularly in the US, I think, where there are often conspiracy theorists on the far right," Professor Johnson said.
The US Government has been accused of undermining efforts to control the spread of coronavirus, as well as downplaying the disease and attempting to capitalise politically on fears surrounding it.
A fortnight ago, President Donald Trump urged supporters to "liberate" states, led by Democratic governors, from stay-at-home restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19.
Protesters took to the streets more broadly, in states including Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Michigan and Idaho.
However, Professor Johnson believed some of those attending the rallies were motivated by understandable concerns about the impact that restrictions on travel and the closure of businesses are having on their livelihoods.
"There is sometimes a legitimate concern that people have, particularly in countries like America, where businesses are shut down, where people lose their jobs," she said.
"They are not getting the same level of support from government that we are getting in Australia.
Conspiracy theorists probably only obtain news from sources that reinforce their own beliefs, Professor Mackay said.
He said that, among such individuals, there seemed to be a reluctance bordering on outright refusal to recognise the impact the coronavirus has had at a global level.
"It may be that they are just not seeing the reality. But it's not hard to look at somewhere like Italy or the US or the UK, and see how badly this virus can go."
Professor Johnson agreed, and said the crisis was being exploited by racists and other bigots for their own political ends.
"It can be interpreted as a foreign virus that is coming in from overseas to destroy our way of life," she said.
"In some parts of Europe … [some believe] that the virus has been sent by God as a punishment for support of same-sex rights and for challenging traditional gender roles between men and women."
The dangers of denial
Professor Johnson said it could be that people are still struggling to deal with a disease that has disrupted their way of life.
"No-one since the beginning of the 20th century in the west has experienced anything like this," she said.
"This is something that is totally new, totally unprecedented and I think lots of people are having trouble coming to grips with it.
"It can be comforting to say that 'actually the virus isn't the problem, we just need these silly policies to change and things will be back to normal'."
Professor Mackay said denying the seriousness of the virus was not merely misguided, but potentially dangerous, especially if it encouraged people to disregard social distancing requirements.
"It shows confusion and that can lead to the wrong decision about things," he said.
"There have been people who have, rather than accept the facts, chosen to call it out as something mysterious or magical or bad in some way, but that has put people at risk."
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