COVID-19 outbreak is currently challenging humanity in many ways; among others, many people are experiencing stress and fear while the spreading of fake news is also common. In those difficult times, it is of high importance first of all to be kind and supportive to those who are already experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and avoid spreading the social stigma.
WHO has commented that stigma around COVID-19 has been apparent; Fear and anxiety about the new coronavirus can lead to social stigma toward people, places, or things. In efforts to “extinct” the stigma around people and countries who have COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) presents some Do’s and Don’ts.
When talking about COVID-19
| DOs | DONTs |
| talk about the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
|
attach locations or ethnicity to the disease, this is not a “Wuhan Virus”, “Chinese Virus” or “Asian Virus”.
The official name for the disease was deliberately chosen to avoid stigmatisation – the “co” stands for Corona, “vi” for virus and “d” for disease, 19 is because the disease emerged in 2019. |
| talk about “people who have COVID-19” | refer to people with the disease as “COVID-19 cases” or “victims” |
| talk about people “acquiring” or “contracting” COVID-19 | talk about people “transmitting COVID-19” “infecting others” or “spreading the virus” as it implies intentional transmission and assigns blame. |
| speak accurately about the risk from COVID-19, based on scientific data and latest official health advice. | repeat or share unconfirmed rumours, and avoid using hyperbolic language designed to generate fear like “plague”, “apocalypse” etc. |
| talk positively and emphasize the effectiveness of prevention and treatment measures. For most people this is a disease they can overcome. | emphasize or dwell on the negative, or messages of threat. |
Stopping stigma is important to making communities and community members resilient. For example, stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate a disease, such as COVID-19, with a population or nationality, even though not everyone in that population or from that region is specifically at risk for the disease. Stigma can also occur after a person has been released from COVID-19 quarantine even though they are not considered a risk for spreading the virus to others.
Some groups of people who may be experiencing stigma because of COVID-19 include: Persons of Asian descent; People who have traveled; Emergency responders or healthcare professionals
The following tips aim to help making individuals resilient and learn live with COVID-19 responsibly without serious implications on their emotional or mental health.
Say NO to social stigma during COVID-19
Be kind to people around you and raise awareness about COVID-19 without increasing fear
- Do not use words & language with negative meaning for affected people
- Show solidarity with affected people
- Share responsibly stories of people who have experience the virus
- Share facts from respectful sources and accurate information
- Provide calm and correct advice
- Avoid hyperbole
- Check in regularly with those affected and show empathy
- Encourage loved ones to keep doing what they enjoy responsibly.
