Navigating the shift: understanding public trust in authorities amidst policy shifts in China’s COVID-19 response

China’s strict “dynamic zero-COVID” policy resulted in low infection and mortality rates due to public cooperation and top-down authority involvement. However, the abrupt abandonment of this policy on December 7, 2022, led to a surge in infections, strained medical resources, and decreased trust in the top-down authorities. This study aims to investigate the shift from pandemic fatigue to cognitive dissonance and its impact on public trust in top-down authorities post-policy change. Conducted in mainland China from March 8 to March 23, 2023, the study used an online snowball sampling method to collect 1626 questionnaires. The research examined changes in pandemic fatigue, cognitive dissonance, and trust in top-down authorities before and after the “dynamic zero-COVID” policy. Additionally, interviews provided deeper insights into public psychological states and behaviors. Linear regression models analyzed the relationship between pandemic fatigue, cognitive dissonance, and trust. Findings revealed a negative correlation between pandemic fatigue, cognitive dissonance, and trust in top-down authorities. Pandemic fatigue decreased trust in the central government (−0.04, 95% CI: −0.09, −0.06), local governments (−0.03, 95% CI: −0.07, −0.05), health authorities (−0.03, 95% CI: −0.07, −0.05), experts (−0.03, 95% CI: −0.07, −0.05), healthcare workers (−0.03, 95% CI: −0.07, −0.05), and medical resources (−0.03, 95% CI: −0.07, −0.05). Cognitive dissonance further exacerbated this decline in trust. Panic buying, misinformation, personal fear, and social fear negatively impacted trust, while social support had a positive impact on trust. China’s abrupt abandonment of the “dynamic zero-COVID” policy led to significant changes in public psychological states, impacting trust in top-down authorities. Authorities should consider public psychological states when formulating policies and take measures to mitigate the negative effects of pandemic fatigue and cognitive dissonance. Furthermore, strengthening social support and ensuring policy transparency and effectiveness are crucial to maintaining public trust in the government.