The impact of sensationalism on public health can be profound and multifaceted. One major issue is the potential for misinformation to spread. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, sensationalist reporting on vaccine side effects fueled vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, sensationalism can cause undue panic or complacency. Portraying a disease as a guaranteed death sentence can lead to public panic, while underreporting its severity can result in complacency and a lack of necessary precautions.
