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Communication to counter the COVID-19 ‘info-demic’

Rumours, mis- and dis-information about the new coronavirus COVID-19, including false cures and how the disease is spread, have been described as an ‘info-demic’ by the WHO Director-General. They can be as harmful as the virus itself.

 

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Media Action is working to counter mis- and dis-information, alongside our partners Translators Without Borders, Evidence Aid and Internews, and funded by the H2H Network, with the support of the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). 

In six countries in Asia (Bangladesh, India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia) ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Media Action teams are creating clear, fact-based social media content, and running smaller community outreach initiatives to combat mis- and dis-information and the stigma of infection.

Scaling up fast

We’re committed to supporting the international response to COVID-19, and wherever possible are ensuring our content is suitable for audiences across the globe. Led by our office in Bangladesh, and in partnership with Translators without Borders, Internews and Evidence Aid, online audio-visual content is being translated into multiple languages for maximum accessibility, and is created using insights from social media monitoring and rumour-tracking.

As the scale of this ‘info-demic’ grows, the need for trusted and accurate information has become even more vital. We’re finding the most effective ways to share accurate and engaging content for both individual countries and audiences worldwide. And most importantly, our communication encourages audiences to question what they read, before they share online – with the aim of improving both health and digital media literacy. 

Trust matters

This work draws on our long experience of dispelling rumours and combatting mis-information in other major epidemics and disease outbreaks, such as Ebola, and reflects our commitment to supporting the global response to COVID-19. It is critical to help audiences engage with accurate information they will trust, believe and share.

Project information

Project name Countering COVID-19 info-demic (H2H)
Funder H2H Network (backfunder DFID and hosted by Danish Refugee Council)
Dates 2020 - ongoing
Theme Health
Outputs

Multi country social media content and outreach activities

 

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