Pandemic in times of global connectivity and disruption of scientific information

World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020 when the disease spread across the globe. Till date, it has caused more than 300,000 infections and about 13,000 fatalities. Within days after declaring it a pandemic, WHO called it an ‘infodemic’. One important reason for calling a pandemic ‘infodemic’ is the propagation of misinformation and unscientific information parallel to the scientific data.

Initially there was not much known about the virus when it appeared in the wet market of Wuhan, China. But as soon as Chinese health experts analyzed the cause of the new pneumonia, they found out a new virus, named SARS-CoV-2, was the causative pathogen. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 was named Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

WHO calling it an ‘infodemic’ indicates the frustration of public health experts at the face of rapid spread of misinformation. Health systems across the globe started facing the real brunt of an abrupt overstrain caused by a unknown contagious disease.

One wonders why unscientific information ran parallel to the freshly released accurate scientific data. One aspect that can explain this phenomenon is the power of global connectivity aka internet. It is faster than ever and available to a large part of the population in almost every corner of the world. But internet itself is not to be blamed, as it has become an essential requirement of the modern age. It is the user of internet and their understanding of this matrix.

Anyone with a smartphone can log into the internet and acquire the power of access to endless information and data, only a click away. Comprehending this endless matrix of information may depend on user’s psychosocial and cultural interests. Users may have a specific curiosity to look for certain information. Accepting or rejecting information also depends on the user’s grasp and ability of analysis. Someone from general public will probably want to read or see how he or she is affected by this disease and what they can do to save or treat themselves. A scientist, virologist or infectious disease expert will most likely look for scientific data on the disease.

Individuals who see information in any format that appeals to their frame of psychosocial environment, will also spread it further. Thus, accurate scientific data and false or fake data circulate simultaneously. Not only general public is affected but also the work of experts doubles in the process.

During the pandemic of COVID-19, experts have faced and are still facing a huge challenge of scientifically accurate data getting altered when it reaches the public. Sensationalism plays a huge role in situation like this. For instance, thousands of people saw and shared that garlic had the potential to treat COVID-19. The principal predicament here was that people believed it and shared it with others.

Religious healing, superstitions and quackery are other examples that people propagated and others believed it. These were like cosmic answers to heal their anxiety in a strenuous time.

Yes, general public who saw this information did not even know that trials were already started in several countries for different drugs to treat COVID-19 patients. All this access to and spread of false and unscientific information happened even before the preliminary peer-reviewed results of trials became available to experts.

There are great lessons for everyone from health experts to general public in this ongoing public health crisis. Anyone who has access to internet or a social media platform must understand that all this power comes with certain responsibilities. The foremost is critically analyzing information and excluding unscientific and false data. Individuals must know that their actions of sharing something false or scientifically not proven, can potentially endanger someone’s health and life for that matter. Individuals need to be aware of the official and authentic platforms available online where they can get accurate information. Individuals must understand that whatever they are reading or seeing must come from authentic sources and not from someone who does not have expertise of a particular subject.

In matters related to health, electronic media must stick to ethics and must not report something based on false information or propaganda. Electronic media is even more powerful as they have a huge following and viewership. Sensationalism is a big no in situation like this. They can play a constructive role by actively involving public health experts. Their information must not be based on hearsay or sources whose information does not come from experts.

Health staff including physicians, nurses, paramedic and staff involved in emergency services, must adhere to medical ethics. Physicians or any person involved in a patient’s health care must avoid sharing patient - related information from their social media platforms. Health staff must maintain patient’s confidentiality. Any data related to COVID-19 patients should only come out of designated official or authority’s domain.

Governments must be transparent in their collective data, must act fast, educate and engage public. Government must engage people at the union council level. People in urban areas may follow instructions faster but in villages it is going to be a challenge. In pandemics, delaying measures of prevention, containment and mitigation can result in catastrophic circumstances that go beyond health crisis.

For experts, fact-checking and correcting false information must start earlier. This can enable both experts and general public to have accurate data available to them. This will be useful to public for not falling for quackery and superstitions. This can also help in a unified and graduated response according to the evolving situation.

In the end, it is the responsibility of every individual across all walks of life to play a constructive role to minimize the damage caused by this global health crisis.