LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Been on social media lately? You've probably seen a lot of people posting about conspiracy theories, in one way or another.
"It's emotionally very frustrating and very difficult," said Dr. Monalisa Tailor, an internal medicine physician with Norton Community Medical Associates. She works with people who've tested positive for COVID-19.
For them, Tailor said, the coronavirus is very real.
"They're in a lot of discomfort, they're having trouble with their breathing, particularly the ones with asthma and COPD," she said. "Oh my gosh, they're going through so much trying to get over this."
As scientists conduct research, scrambling to find cures and treatments, the public information changes rapidly.
"As a result, we're ending up with all these news stories and conspiracy theories and so much stuff to try to help make sense of it all," Tailor said.
While social media sites such as Facebook race to take down viral videos deemed to be untrue, Tailor said that "misinformation puts us more at risk because it increases all of our chances of getting more exposed to this virus."
As scientists learn more about fighting the virus, it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. As humans, Tailor said, said we're inclined to find answers or fill in the blanks.
"Any time that you have uncertainties, humans are going to try to logic their way through it," she said. "Some of that logic might be right, and some of that logic might be incorrect."
So if you come across something online that looks sensational, she says it might be best to leave it alone.
"If someone has a very strong belief one way or the other, you trying to post and say, 'Hey, you know, this study and this study and the CDC website, they say this,' it might not go anywhere, even as well-intentioned as you are," she said.
She advises against engaging with the online trolls, and if you can, "lay off the social media for your mental sanity."
Instead, Tailor pushes people to websites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state public health (including Kentucky's COVID-19 website) and local hospitals for the latest science-based information.
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