On 26 August, Dr Sarah Barber, Director of WHO’s Centre for Health Development in Kobe (WKC) joined Dr David Malone, Rector of the United Nations University in Tokyo, in a virtual discussion on information dissemination during a global pandemic.
“The current COVID-19 pandemic has yielded overwhelming amounts of information. We are fighting an infodemic as well as an epidemic,” explained Dr Barber. “Too much information makes it difficult to identify what is factual and what is not. In turn, people struggle to know what to believe and what actions they should take.”
Thousands of rumours, conspiracy theories and reports of stigma around COVID-19 have spread rapidly on social media channels and in the media, fuelling mistrust of government and health workers, and contributing to unhealthy practices such as ingesting harmful substances in the hope of counteracting COVID. In doing so, these rumours undermine the people carrying out the pandemic response.
WHO has used a number of strategies to debunk myths and disseminate accurate scientific information for the public and decision-makers. EPI-WIN is an information network for epidemics which provides resources and regular updates, using a whole-of-society approach. It works with specific groups such as youth, journalists and faith-based organizations to co-develop guidance tailored to specific contexts and communities, to enable people respected in their communities to amplify the messages. A series of myth-busters were developed for social media platforms to dispel common and potentially harmful myths and curb stigmatizing behaviour.
“Importantly, individuals need to get information from trusted, reliable sources of health information like WHO, trusted academics or local public health institutes. The United Nations has a programme called “Take care before you share” to stress the need for everyone to verify the information first before sharing, and call out those who spread incorrect information. We can all play a role in saving lives and protecting people from misinformation. Each individual does have a responsibility to create a healthy neighbourhood in these social media environments,” concluded Dr Barber.
The UNU discussion may be viewed here.
