Be circumspect in your coronavirus reports to avoid social stigma - Journalists urged

Managing Editor of the Young Advocate, children's newspaper, has urged journalists to be circumspect in their reportage on issues about COVID-19 to avoid social stigma associated with the disease.

Rev Seth Ameyaw Danquah said that words used in media reports are especially important because they will shape the popular language and communication on the new coronavirus.

He notes that negative reporting has the potential to affect how people suspected to have the new coronavirus, their families and communities are treated.

"When talking about coronavirus disease, certain words and language may have a negative meaning for people and fuel stigmatising attitudes, perpetuate existing negative stereotypes or assumptions, strengthen false associations between the disease and other factors, create widespread fear, or de-humanise those who have the disease," he said.

In an interview with Daniel Kaku, the Young Advocate Managing Editor said stigmatisation must be stopped for the fight against coronavirus to be successful.

Rev Danquah said continuous stigmatisation of suspected, confirmed and recovered patients may hinder the fight against the pandemic.

According to him, journalistic reporting which overly focuses on individual behaviour and patients’ responsibility for having and spreading COVID-19 can increase the stigma of people who may have the disease.

This, Rev. Danquah noted, can drive people away from getting screened, tested and quarantined hence a “people-first” language that respects and empowers people in all communication channels are recommended.

He, therefore, stressed that there are many examples of how the use of inclusive language and less stigmatising terminology can help to control epidemics and pandemics and bemoaned the situation where some media outlets have, for example, focused on speculating on the source of COVID-19.

He argued that emphasising efforts to find a vaccine and treatment can increase fear and give the impression it is impossible to halt the infections now and called on journalists to promote content around basic infection prevention practices, symptoms of COVID-19 and when to seek health care.