La rivincita della scienza sul senso comune? Gli orientamenti di fiducia degli italiani all’inizio dell’emergenza Covid-19

The main hypothesis of the article is that the pandemic phenomenon has partly increased the level of trust the Italian people have in scientific and health institutions, but it is not a completely consolidated trust. To control this hypothesis, a sample survey was carried out in correspondence with the gradual introduction by the government of measures of lock-down. The data shows increasing trust in scientific and health institutions throughout the survey period. The responses of some respondents, however, show a certain level of incoherence. Many people declaring a high level of trust towards the scientific and health institution show (to different degrees) confidence in the idea that the virus was created in a laboratory, a thesis widely rejected by the scientific community with many explanations in the media. The rooting of anti-scientific beliefs may be much higher than suspected by commentators, and the celebration of a revenge of science may be premature.