Headlines and hashtags: communicating science during an outbreak

Nichole Egbert; Catherine E Goodall; Jennifer L McCullough; Tara C Smith

doi:10.1016/j.micinf.2020.07.004

Headlines and hashtags: communicating science during an outbreak

Microbes Infect. 2020 Nov-Dec;22(10):508-510. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2020.07.004. Epub 2020 Aug 12.

Authors

Nichole Egbert¹, Catherine E Goodall¹, Jennifer L McCullough¹, Tara C Smith²

Affiliations

¹ School of Communication, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA.
² School of Public Health, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA. Electronic address: tsmit176@kent.edu.

Abstract

Science and medical professionals are often looked to as experts in the event of a health crisis, but relatively few have received formal training in science communication. We provide a brief review of the current outbreak situation and suggestions for engaging in reliable, effective science communication online.

Keywords: Coronavirus; Epidemic; Misinformation; Science communication.

Publication types

Editorial

MeSH terms

Communication*
Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
Coronavirus Infections / psychology
Humans
Pandemics / prevention & control*
SARS-CoV-2 / immunology
SARS-CoV-2 / pathogenicity*
Science / education*
Social Media