Pandemic communication and problematic information

Lovari A.

;Righetti N.

2023-01-01

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Abstract

Pandemic communication is the process of creating, planning, and diffusing information and communication flows dealing with a pandemic by health authorities at different levels (i.e., supranational, national, and/or regional). In a broader sense, it could include a wide range of stakeholders directly involved in producing and/or sharing messages about how to deal with a pandemic, including healthcare providers, public and private health organizations, associations, and the media. The aims of pandemic communication are to disseminate updated information to the public about the current situation, provide advice and guidance on how to avoid infectious diseases and protect themselves and others, reduce fear and avoid the panic that can be quickly spread in contemporary interconnected communication ecologies, characterized by the relevant dissemination of problematic information (fake news, misinformation, and malicious contents).