  Health misinformation has been found to be prevalent on social media,
particularly in new public health crises in which there is limited scientific
information. However, social media can also play a role in limiting and
refuting health misinformation. Using as a case study US President Donald
Trump's controversial comments about the promise and power of UV light- and
disinfectant-based treatments, this data memo examines how these comments were
discussed and responded to on Twitter. We find that these comments fell into
established politically partisan narratives and dominated discussion of both
politics and COVID in the days following. Contestation of the comments was much
more prevalent than support. Supporters attacked media coverage in line with
existing Trump narratives. Contesters responded with humour and shared
mainstream media coverage condemning the comments. These practices would have
strengthened the original misinformation through repetition and done little to
construct a successful refutation for those who might have believed them. This
research adds much-needed knowledge to our understanding of the information
environment surrounding COVID and demonstrates that, despite calls for the
depoliticization of health information in this public health crisis, this is
largely being approached as a political issue along divisive, polarised,
partisan lines.
