Nine Tips for Spotting Misinformation about the Coronavirus

This article lists nine tips for staying calm and informed when hearing information about coronavirus.

The nine tips are:

  1. Does the story play on your emotions or present facts using neutral language?
  2. Is it too good to be true?
  3. What is the date of the story?
  4. Who is the author?
  5. Does the information come from a credible source?
  6. Does the story use or abuse data?
  7. Does it show causation or correlation?
  8. Does the story talk about cost and availability?
  9. Of mice or men?

Source: Nine Tips for Spotting Misinformation about the Coronavirus

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    How Behavioral Science Can Help Contain the Coronavirus

    Very little is known about how factors like fear, misinformation, stress, and social norms are shaping behaviors that affect transmission of COVID-19. Even less is understood about what might lead people to ignore government recommendations altogether.

    To fill in these gaps, a consortium of more than 100 behavioral researchers on five continents is currently working around the clock to measure the full social and material consequences of this pandemic. Our goal is simple: to demonstrate in real time what is working—and what isn’t.

    The study is designed in three phases. The first consists of a 20-minute-long survey taken weekly that gauges how human beings are coping during this unprecedented crisis. Questions focus on individual thoughts, feelings, concerns and motivations, and how COVID-19 affects everything from faith in leaders to attitudes toward migrants. More than 45,000 people in 100 countries have taken the survey in 22 languages, and the study leaders are registering additional respondents every day.

    Source: How Behavioral Science Can Help Contain the Coronavirus

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      Cambodia’s 115 Hotline: Successful COVID-19 Digital Response

      An existing hotline in Cambodia has been scaled up for COVID-19 Digital Response, going from 500-600 calls per day to 18,000 calls on peak days. Roughly 75% of callers access the health education menu and 25% are reporting suspect COVID-19 cases/symptoms.

      Cambodia CDC is using the hotline as a primary first point of contact for all potential COVID-19 cases in the country – surveillance officers have staffed up to answer calls around the clock, screen callers, and direct them to appropriate rapid response teams/contract tracing teams for verification and testing.

      As testing is still very limited, this approach is helping them reduce the overall burden on the health system – trying to give people the education and screening they need remotely.

      Expanding the 115 Hotline has allowed the Cambodian government to efficiently and effectively implement a response to the outbreak in their country.  The ability to respond quickly, and reduce the burden of wasting critical time looking for or developing new solutions is just one of many.

      This article lists several reasons for the success of the hotline.

      Source: Cambodia’s 115 Hotline: Successful COVID-19 Digital Response

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        More Than 117 Million Children at Risk of Missing Out on Measles Vaccines, as COVID-19 Surges

        WHO has reported that as COVID-19 continues to spread globally, over 117 million children in 37 countries may miss out on receiving life-saving measles vaccine. Measles immunization campaigns in 24 countries have already been delayed; more will be postponed.

        Source: More Than 117 Million Children at Risk of Missing Out on Measles Vaccines, as COVID-19 Surges

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          Health-protective Behaviour, Social Media Usage and Conspiracy Belief during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

          Social media platforms have long been recognised as major disseminators of health misinformation. Many previous studies have found a negative association between health-protective behaviours and belief in the specific form of misinformation popularly known as ‘conspiracy theory’. Concerns have arisen regarding the spread of COVID-19 conspiracy theories on social media.

          All three studies found a negative relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 health-protective behaviors, and a positive relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and use of social media as a source of information about COVID-19. Studies 2 and 3 also found a negative relationship between COVID-19 health-protective behaviors and use of social media as a source of information, and Study 3 found a positive relationship between health-protective behaviors and use of broadcast media as a source of information.

          The conclusion of the authors is that, when used as an information source, unregulated social media may present a health risk that is partly but not wholly reducible to their role as disseminators of health-related conspiracy beliefs.

          Source: Health-protective Behaviour, Social Media Usage and Conspiracy Belief during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

            Views 819

            Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

            Stigma associated with COVID-19 poses a serious threat to the lives of healthcare workers, patients, and survivors of the disease.

            In May 2020, a community of advocates comprising of 13 medical and humanitarian organisations including, among others, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the the International Hospital Federation, and World Medical Association issued a declaration that condemned more than 200 incidents of COVID-19 related attacks on healthcare workers and health facilities during the ongoing pandemic.

            Source: Stigma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

              Views 557

              Talking to Children about Illness and Death of a Loved One during the COVID-19 Pandemic

              In the midst of the devastating death toll and hospitalizations from COVID-19, the psychological effect of the pandemic on children has been sadly overlooked.

              The overwhelming media coverage and barrage of public health messages sustain a high level of physical and emotional threat within our communities, which is intensely observed by children. Age-appropriate explanations are paramount to ensure children have a coherent narrative and emotional support for their experiences. This article offers some guidelines on talking to children about these issues.

              Source: Talking to Children about Illness and Death of a Loved One during the COVID-19 Pandemic

                Views 427

                Religious Leaders Play Key Role in Battle against COVID-19

                Religious leaders throughout Bangladesh – including in the Rohingya refugee camps – have agreed to play a key role in the battle against the COVID-19 virus.

                Mosque megaphones are traditionally used by imams to call the faithful to prayer. But they now serve an extra purpose: to disseminate key public health messages.

                Imams play an important role in Bangladesh because they hold the trust of millions of worshipers in what is a predominantly Muslim country. UNICEF and the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh (IFB) – a government organization that works under the Ministry of Religious Affairs – have worked together for the wellbeing of women and children since 2017.

                Source: Religious Leaders Play Key Role in Battle against COVID-19

                  Views 472