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Tackling Covid-19 Misinformation

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Tackling Covid-19 Misinformation TACKLING COVID-19 MISINFORMATION A SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLKIT FOR HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS 03 23 Foreword from The World Health 3: Sharing relevant vaccine posts Organization from trusted and reliable Page sources 05 27 About this toolkit dos and don’ts of engaging vaccine hesitant audiences 07 29 Key vaccine confidence messages best practices CONTENTS Twitter Facebook Instagram TikTok LinkedIn 09 Snapchat Getting involved YouTube 11 37 1: Creating your own social media Protecting yourself online images and videos Creative tools 15 43 2: How to share the images and videos Further useful resources provided in this toolkit Message A: Vaccine Safety Message B: Vaccine Development 43 Message C: Vaccines Reduce Your Risk of Sickness Glossary The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us In an effort to empower our esteemed all of the vital role healthcare workers play doctors and nurses – some of the most to relieve suffering, save lives and keep effective messengers of public health populations informed, often at the expense information – to actively address COVID-19 of their own safety. While the physical misinformation and build vaccine confidence risks attached to healthcare workers’ daily globally, all while safeguarding mental responsibilities have visibly heightened health, the World Health Organization during the pandemic, the increased strain is excited to welcome this social media on mental health has often gone under- toolkit for healthcare practitioners. This reported. This strain not only stems from product contributes to WHO’s ongoing gruelling hours and high-risk demands, collaboration with the Government of the FOREWORD FROM but also from online bullying targeting United Kingdom to ensure the spread of those who advocate for safe public health misinformation is addressed by reliable, measures and counter misinformation with trusted messengers such as yourselves. medical facts on social media. THE WORLD HEALTH As healthcare practitioners, this toolkit Ensuring communities have access to life- aims to provide you with the tools, skills saving public health information from and content you need to share authentic ORGANIZATION trusted sources in their own community, and reliable information. There are many and are not misled by misinformation scientists and healthcare practitioners online, is essential to ending this pandemic. already amplifying public health guidance What WHO first called an “infodemic” in by creating and sharing simple, accurate 2020 – an overabundance of information, and engaging posts with their online both accurate and inaccurate, that spreads communities. By adding your voice to alongside a disease outbreak – has made theirs, you can help people make safe this pursuit challenging. healthcare choices by ensuring that facts and science rise above the noise of myths While the rapid spread of accurate and misinformation at this crucial moment information has enabled health authorities to in the vaccines’ rollout. reach an unprecedented number of people and sparked solidarity across borders, it Although the infodemic cannot be stopped, has also led to harmful conspiracy theories it can be managed with your support as and falsehoods. For instance, in the first you stop the spread of misinformation in three months of 2020, nearly 6,000 people your own communities, turn the tide on the around the world were hospitalized due to infodemic tsunami and save lives. COVID-19 misinformation1. Now, COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, coupled with the inequitable distribution of vaccines around Andrew Pattison, the world, is hampering one of our most Team Lead for Digital Channels, promising tools to end this pandemic. Digital Health and Innovation, WHO 1.www.ajtmh.org ABOUT THIS TOOLKIT THIS ABOUT 3 4 As healthcare practitioners, you know your communities better than anyone. The most impactful thing you can do to help build vaccine confidence ABOUT and address misinformation is to share facts and information across your channels in a way which you think will resonate with your communities, and feels THIS authentic to you. This toolkit lays out three ways in which you can help: TOOLKIT CREATING 01 Creating your own posts – video or images – that will engage your communities, using your tone of voice. POSTING 02 Posting the images and videos that we have provided as part of this toolkit, along with captions which clearly communicate key vaccine messages. RE-SHARING 03 Re-sharing vaccine information already disseminated from trusted social media sources to your networks. Over the following pages, you’ll find a step-by-step guide for each of these options, social media platform best practice to optimise your posts and guidance on how to ensure your protection online. ABOUT THIS TOOLKIT THIS ABOUT 5 6 FACTS TO INFORM WHAT YOU POST Message A • There are strict protections in place to ensure the safety of all COVID-19 Vaccine SAFETY vaccines. • Before receiving validation from WHO and national regulatory agencies, COVID-19 vaccines are rigorously COVID-19 vaccines must undergo tested for safety and efficacy rigorous testing in clinical trials to prove before approval that they meet internationally agreed benchmarks for safety and effectiveness. FACTS TO INFORM WHAT YOU POST Message B • Unprecedented scientific collaborations have allowed COVID-19 vaccine research, Vaccine DEVELOPMENT development, and authorisations to be completed in record time – to meet Vaccines are a safe solution the urgent need for COVID-19 vaccines developed at speed due to while maintaining high safety standards. unprecedented levels of • As with all vaccines, the World Health KEY MESSAGES TO Organisation and regulatory authorities scientific collaboration, will continuously monitor the use of funding and the large number COVID-19 vaccines to confirm that they remain safe for all who receive them. COMMUNICATE ON of volunteers for human trials. FACTS TO INFORM WHAT YOU POST SOCIAL MEDIA Message c S • The COVID-19 vaccines provide GE protection against the disease, as a result Vaccines Reduce the of developing an immune response to SSA • Three core vaccine confidence messages have been the SARS-Cov-2 virus. developed and verified by the WHO, each designed to Risk of Sickness address common misconceptions about the vaccine. • Developing immunity through Consider these ahead of engaging in any social media vaccination means there is a reduced Being vaccinated reduces your risk of developing the illness and its activity to ensure it is as impactful as possible ME DENCE risk of getting seriously sick consequences. This immunity helps you I • Pre-approved imagery, videos and suggested captions fight the virus, if exposed. NF which have been available for you to post on pages 17- with COVID-19 O 22 also align to the below messages NE NE I For the latest information and guidance CC #VaccinesWork is the hashtag A about vaccine safety and how they have we are encouraging you to use been developed, please go to the WHO when sharing your vaccine facts V EY web page. and information. K 7 8 HOW MUCH GETTING TIME COULD YOU DEDICATE TO THIS? INVOLVED A GOOD AMOUNT NOT A LOT BUT TO ADDRESS AM STILL KEEN TO COVID-19 HELP ADDRESS MISINFORMATION MISINFORMATION ONLINE I HAVE SOME TIME AND KEEN TO DO MY BIT TO HELP Go to page 11 to find Go to pages 15 for Go to page 23 to find guidance on creating some pre-approved a reference to some your own images and images and videos reliable sources that videos communicating which you can share on you can follow and then key vaccine messaging. your social channels. re- share relevant posts to your social channels. VED OL V I NG NG TTI GE 9 10 The most impactful thing you can do to help people make the right healthcare choices is to share simple and accurate posts which communicate key vaccine facts and science with your online communities. The most engaging way to do this is to create your own posts - so if you’d like to, here are some tips that you may find useful: OPTION 1: Getting the message across in CREATING the most engaging way possible OS DE YOUR OWN I V ND KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE Be accurate SOCIAL MEDIA A S You know your communities better than Before posting, double check your spelling GE anyone. Think about what concerns they and grammar. On social media platforms A IMAGES AND might have about the COVID-19 vaccines such as Twitter, you will not be able to edit M and how you can share the facts with them your Tweet once it has gone out, so best to IA I IA in a way which might reassure them. You get it right the first time. can use the messages provided to help VIDEOS with this and there is more information you Be Yourself MED can use on the web page. WHO IAL The best performing posts on social C Get familiar with the messaging media are authentic. Be professional and knowledgeable, but also be yourself. SO N Before creating a post, think about the message you want to get across as a starting point, then communicate as creatively as Speak to Your Experiences you like. It’s best to be clear and concise so OUR OW OUR Y focus on one message per post. To add further authenticity, you could speak to your own positive experiences with the Make sure you check out the ‘Dos and COVID-19 vaccines. NG Don’ts’ on page 28. ATI E CR 11 12 CREATIVE Getting creative Getting TECHNICAL TOOLS Use natural light where possible Using a stand for your phone ON OFFER Shooting in daylight is advised. Lightbulbs Placing your phone in a raised position will can cause shadows and a yellow glow, so ensure you record a professional video, as turn any lights off, where possible. well as stabilising the focus of the shot. If If you would like to go one step further and enhance your content you have one available, a tripod is perfect with edits, subtitles, music, stickers, you can use creative tools Record video using the to deliver a strong video on platforms such that are downloadable from your Appstore.
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