Words matter! Stigma can isolate people, prevent them from seeking medical care, and adopt healthy behavious. The level of stigma associated with COVID-19 is based on three main factors: 1) it is a disease that’s new and for which there are still many unknowns; 2) we are often afraid of the unknown; and 3) it is easy to associate that fear with ‘others’. How we communicate about COVID-19 is critical in supporting people to take effective action to help combat the disease and to avoid fuelling fear and stigma.
Watch this video from the World Health Organization to find out more: https://youtu.be/vinh0lIG1p0