If you were to take a guess, where would Florida and Texas rank, in terms of their response to Covid?

Would they be in the upper third, middle, or lower third?

The answer is the middle third.

Since the outset of the pandemic, 1 out of every 540 people in Florida has been killed by Covid-19. This is the 26th highest rate among the 50 states. In Texas, the number is 1 in 537, which is the 25th highest rate.

The state with the highest (i.e., worst) rate is New Jersey at 1 of 333, while New York is second at 1 of 361.

Throughout the pandemic, many media outlets showered praise on the governors of NY and NJ for their handling of C-19 while vilifying the governors of states with significantly better outcomes like FL and TX. Hence, a scientific survey in November 2020 found that 32% of Trump voters and 62% of Biden voters falsely believed that FL or TX had the worst C-19 death rate in the nation.

Beyond the political implications of misinforming large portions of the electorate, such journalism can draw attention away from serious problems and lead people to false conclusions about how to protect their health and lives.

To see how all the states rank, click here.

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This article was adapted from Just Facts Daily and is reproduced with permission from the author.