Q&A: How communication affects our understanding of the coronavirus
To better understand the vital role communication plays in global health emergencies such as the coronavirus, we sat down with health communication expert Lu Tang of the Department of Communication.
By Alix Poth ’18
The recent coronavirus global health emergency has gripped the world and the media. To better understand the role communication plays in such an event, we sat down with health communication expert Lu Tang of the Department of Communication, who studies culture, social media, and health communication, specifically within Chinese culture. Here, she explains the value and effects communication holds in the current coronavirus crisis. This interview has been condensed for length and clarity.
1. Tell me about your research and expertise in the area of health communication?
One area of my research focuses on crisis and risk communication on social media during the outbreak of infectious diseases. For instance, my research team studied Twitter messages during the 2015 measles outbreak in the United States. I also study health-related misinformation such as anti-vaccine misinformation on social media.
2. What role does communication play in the management of global health crises?
Communication is essential to the successful management of global health crises. Effective communication is the key to informing the public. A global health crisis also requires a global response. Clear and timely communication among different stakeholders globally, including governments, intergovernmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and medical and research institutions will enable such global response and collaboration.
3. What are the best practices for managing communication well on such a large scale?
Transparency is the key to successful crisis communication. Credible sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention need to send out information about the development of the outbreak, tell the public how severe the disease is and how susceptible individuals are. More importantly, clear guidelines need to be communicated in terms of what the public can do to protect themselves.
4. What insight into health communication can you offer in relation to the recent coronavirus?
Social media have become an incredibly important information source. During the outbreak of an emerging infectious disease, the public is also likely to turn to their social media for health information. However, since social media contents are user-generated, misinformation downplaying the risks or exaggerating the risks are both plentiful on many social media platforms.
5. The virus has had three names so far – Wuhan coronavirus, coronavirus, and COVID-19. The World Health Organization said the latest name for it was made in an effort to avoid stigma. How does the name of an outbreak like this affect the way people think about the places, animals, and people associated with it?
Stigma is a mark of disgrace associated with a particular disease or group of people. In the past, diseases such as HIV/AIDS and schizophrenia have been stigmatized. Muslim immigrants to the U.S. as a population have also been stigmatized. When a disease or a group of people is stigmatized, they are considered dangerous by society. This often leads to stereotypes and discrimination. If an outbreak were named after a place or a group of people, it will definitely lead to the stigmatization of the place or the people.
6. The news media is reporting that the severity of the coronavirus may be being downplayed by the Chinese government by reporting lower death totals than what is accurate. Why would the Chinese government do this?
At the most superficial level, the Chinese government was trying to avoid public panic, especially during the largest holiday of the year. There are also deeper political and structural causes for the inaccurate report.
7. What does the communication about the coronavirus tell us about the effects of social media on health knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors?
I cannot imagine a world without social media today. Despite the possibility of misinformation, the existence of social media provides the public space, albeit imperfect, to exchange information, share resources, and help each other.
8. If the coronavirus had started in the United States, how do you think the health communication would compare to what China’s communication has looked like?
I believe that there is going to be a lot more transparency in the United States.
9. Why is it important to have accurate reporting on things like death totals when a global health crisis is taking place?
Accurate reporting is extremely important during the outbreak of an infectious disease.
When the public question the credibility and truthfulness of governmental agencies, there will be even more widespread panic. Those people who primarily consume governmental media tend to be overly optimistic and underestimate the severity of the outbreak. When people don’t take the outbreak seriously, they might unintentionally make things worse. For instance, these people are more likely to live their lives as usual and break the quarantine rules, which might lead to the further spread of the virus.
On the other hand, some people do not trust the credibility of mainstream media and rely on alternative media sources, which paint a much more dire picture of the outbreak.