While we have witnessed a global health threat named Covid-19 in the last few months, the spread of information about the pandemic has been much faster than the virus itself. There has not been one day since the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency that I have not come across messages, memes or videos related to Covid going viral on social media. Added to it is the plethora of information about the outbreak statistics (number of cases, casualties in every single geographical distribution, etc.) being fed to the people 24/7 daily.
As billions are isolated or quarantined in their homes in an attempt to contain the infection, digital screen time has increased. Information pollution about Covid every single day adds to the already existing uncertainty and panic about the virus and lockdown. People have often been seen with their eyes glued to their televisions, laptops or mobile screens, busy consuming news feeds related to the coronavirus. This often assumes a compulsive nature, with a need to stay updated about every single facet of the illness, which further increases the psychological discomfort and physical unrest.
Role of Social Media: Contrary to popular belief, Covid-19 is not the first ‘digital infodemic’. In the recent past, outbreaks of Zika in Brazil, Ebola in Africa, Influenza in Europe and Nipah in India had similar bidirectional relationships with media. However, the degree of ‘media panic’, the amount of media consumption and the consequent change in public reaction have been much higher during Covid-19. An article by Phil Harding titled ‘Pandemics, Plagues and Panic’ (2009) in British Journalism Review highlights how the spread of an illness and the resultant human behaviour can be influenced significantly by the flow and vectors of information.
Health communication and understanding of public health depends a lot on how the data about an illness is interpreted by the masses. Within every bit of news, there can be a potential admixture of fake information, with the major challenge being teasing out the truth. This health-related misinformation becomes all the more crucial during a pandemic like this when the fear of an unknown infection without a definitive cure mixes with an anxious mind that tends to easily accept fast solutions and theories, irrespective of visible loopholes in their logic and reasoning.
One senseless forward of a wrong message, in the wrong hands, can snowball the spread, increasing the acceptability as it moves along the chain. Often, names of credible public health agencies like the WHO, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), etc., are tagged along wrongly to make the piece of false news more acceptable. Similar things were being circulated during the first wave of infection in China, implicating ‘biological weaponry’ in the origin of the coronavirus.
The impact that information or misinformation can have on human behaviour is remarkable. It can range from faulty treatments and non-compliance to panic, mass hysteria and competition for healthcare resources. On the other hand, relevant and timely information has shown to improve preparedness for infectious diseases and strengthen public health infrastructure. So social media can be a double-edged sword. A review by Abhay Kadam and Sachin Atre (2020) in Journal of Travel Medicine points out that social media reach has risen three times during the lockdown period in India, with Covid-19-related search spiking significantly. The inherent insecurity and lack of daily structure during the lockdown makes us feel inadequate without the constant feed of health-related information. It is indeed challenging to find a fine balance between the toxic overuse of technology and healthy and systematic harnessing of healthcare data.
Many distress calls that we cater to nowadays are related to compulsive use of the internet and social media leading to health anxiety, somatic complaints, anxiety, depressive disorders, agitation and insomnia. On a different note, children and adolescents exposed to more online time tend to develop technology and gaming addiction. It is vital to remember that certain unhealthy habits will long outlast the pandemic to cause continued problems in life. Further, social media-related blame and othering can also lead to stigma, marginalisation, communalism and violence, especially at such times of crisis. People from the Northeast, certain religious communities and lower socio-economic classes like the migrants and homeless have already been victims of such stigmatisation.
Digital balance and the way forward: Is information dissemination all that bad? Not at all! History has proven that continued and timely liaison between media personnel and the scientific community can help immensely for Information-Education-Communication (IEC) outreach in the community. The increased use of social media can be a powerful tool for debunking misinformation itself.
The linkage of various media platforms with scientific databases like Pubmed, Google Scholar, etc., can provide appropriate search guidance. Content analysis of the search data gives useful information about the search trends, the sought-after information and unmet needs for data. Those can then be harnessed for authentic updates and fighting false news. Awareness of healthy use of technology can be spread by social media itself with administrative reforms regulating unnecessary forwards and rumour mongering.
Importantly, we need to understand that we do need information, but loads of statistics about every single aspect of the virus makes no sense to the masses. This will do more harm than good.
Maintaining a conscious and informed distance from social media can help increase the Covid-free time, which is so necessary for mental well-being. Technology can be used for social connectedness rather than isolating us in our own digital spaces. What all of us would want most is to prevent Covid from invading our mental peace. So, let us try and practise digital distancing. As the saying goes, “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.”
Dr DEBANJAN BANERJEE
Geriatric Psychiatrist, NIMHANS, Bengaluru. Email: dr.djan88@gmail.com