In a time of crisis, as facts and rumors mix and disperse, it becomes difficult to learn essential information about an issue; and when we are talking about a pandemic, credible information is of vital importance. However, while adequate information can boost seafarers’ sense of belonging, misinformation through social media can add to their already increased stress.
We could say that in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has to deal with another pandemic too, the infodemic. Namely, fake news and misinformation are becoming more and more common about the impact of Covid-19, and in fact, they get worse by excessive social media usage. Fake news refers to both misinformation (false information shared by misguided individuals) and disinformation (false information shared with the explicit intention to deliberately mislead its audience).
Spreading misinformation can start from:
- Individuals, such as criminals, after some sort of profit;
- States and state-backed actors seeking to advance geopolitical interests;
- Opportunists looking to discredit official sources.
Taking the above into consideration, one can easily understand how such a situation can negatively affect a seafarer’s mental and physical health. More specifically, the era of social media in which we are living, includes millions of pages informing about every issue; COVID-19 is now, naturally, at the top. This has two readings. The first says that the more information, the better, as it is great to know everything there is to know about the pandemic. On the other hand, how can anyone be sure that what they are reading is true. As a matter of fact, Facebook reported that nearly 50 million pieces of COVID-19-related content had to be flagged with warning label for disinformation, in April 2020 alone.
Hence, Covid-19 creates the perfect case study for fake news to flourish. Particularly, misinformation about the virus can be dangerous, ranging from wide confusion and distrust to harmful fake coronavirus cures. A study conducted in the first months of the pandemic revealed that at least some 800 people died from misinformation, by drinking bleach to disinfect their bodies or eating cow dung to prevent infection.
Onboard a ship, increased stress due to isolation comes to act as a catalyst for seafarers to be more susceptible to fake news consuming. For this reason, there are many voices urging shipping to drastically address this problem and communicate more with seafarers, in order to provide them with timely and credible information, which they trust would be correct. On the other hand, the lack of information or the provision or wrong one, tend to isolate seafarers even more than they used to be.
Remaining on the topic, SAFETY4SEA survey attempted to find out what the crew may think about the information received from their companies. The majority of the participants felt that their companies handled the crisis successfully with respect to information and COVID-19 updates provided onboard. However, one of the most regularly seen complaint from seafarers was poor communication with people ashore. This highlights the importance that seafarers give to the communication with the shore, as it provides them with a sense of safety of what is going on outside their ships.
How can shipping protect seafarers
#1 Teach crew to identify false news
At first, shipping has to teach seafarers how to identify false information by themselves. Some key tips include:
- Be suspicious: Is the news angry with clickbait titles? Is the website trustworthy?
- Crosscheck the sources: Is any other news source reporting on the same thing?
- Identify the author: Search the author’s name online; Is he/she real?
- Mind the date: Some news outlets re-publish old posts as current stories.
- Stop the chain: If you found it is fake news, don’t comment it or repost it.
- Turn to experts: Search the information in official sites, such as WHO.
- Turn to fact–checkers: Consult organizations, such as the International Fact-checking Network.
- Share official information: Share updates from trustworthy, official websites.
#2 Provide official information
By providing information from governments or credible associations is a great way to ensure that seafarers are provided with all the right information. This can regard to:
- Health on board measures: Ship operators should provide seafarers with general information on COVID-19 and applicable standard health protection measures and precautions. For this matter, Standard Infection Protection and Control (IPC) precautions emphasise the vital importance of hand and respiratory hygiene.
- Embarkation and disembarkation: According to ICS, during embarkation, ships should require seafarers to complete a locator card, which may be used by the ship or provided to the relevant public authority to help with the tracing and contacting of persons in case of an outbreak or the potential for disease transmission on board the ship. As for disembarkation, ship operators should ensure that testing is available in ports or terminals for seafarers who will be disembarking from the ship.
- Access to medical care: According to the ILO MLC 2006, port States must make sure that any seafarers on board ships in their territory who need immediate medical care are given access to medical facilities on shore. However, considering the difficulties to provide medical assistance nowadays, the person(s) responsible for on board medical care should be in direct contact with the receiving medical service.
#3 Inform seafarers about the vaccines
The COVID-19 vaccine is the best weapon we currently have to fight this virus. Shipping companies must inform their crew about vaccination programs and provide them with ample information surrounding the vaccines, such as:
- How to get the vaccine: Currently COVID-19 vaccines can only be accessed through national, government-run vaccination programmes.
- Side effects: Side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines are reported to be mild and short lived, lasting up to 48 hours. Serious side effects are reported to be extremely rare. Side effects can occur after the first or second dose. Local reactions such as pain, redness and swelling are not uncommon, particularly in those under 55 years. Up to 50% may suffer headache, fever or fatigue.
- How long does immunity last: Ongoing studies to establish how long a person is immune to the COVID-19 virus after vaccination with different vaccines will determine how often a vaccine is required.
