Opinion: COVID-19: Credible Information As A Vaccine Against Misinformation?, By Hawa Ba and Ayisha Osori
…governments, the media and civil society must intensify communications aimed at sharing factual information on coronavirus prevention and cure; building and keeping trust; and defusing existing and new prejudices. The right communication tailored for multiple audiences could be the difference between life and death.
During this social media age, information spreads faster than any virus and there seems to be no vaccine against misinformation. As governments struggle to contain COVID-19, public service announcements and communication must focus on making citizens accept that the illness is a reality, giving them the knowledge to prevent and treat the infection, and debunking myths and fake stories which impact the effectiveness of the response.
the World Health Organisation warned the world about is spreading across West Africa. “Coronavirus does not exist”. “Bananas cure coronavirus”. “Coronavirus is a conspiracy”. “Coronavirus was sent by God to punish humankind”. Why does misinformation thrive?cannot be ruled out, there are other reasons fake news and misinformation thrive: low trust, information asymmetry, a culture of weaponising information, life experiences, cultural beliefs, myths and fragile social cohesion.
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