This letter to the editor presents a typology of mass and social media messages about COVID-19.

Providing accurate, timely information can help address economic, political, social, and health challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors present a typology of COVID-19 information communicated on social and traditional media to inform health professionals, government officials, and media professionals of individuals’ behavioral patterns for managing the crisis. Messages included the following types of information: valid, comforting, perplexing, mis-, dis-, shocking, contradictory, doubtful, progressive, postponed, and confidential. It is important that disseminators of information be aware of the types of information circulating so that they can address the needs in their community to get through the crisis at minimum cost.