Pandemics webinar series closes with views on conspiracies, biases, and decision-making
A recent webinar by Andrea Baumann and Amelia Boughn wrapped up the Expert Perspectives on Pandemics series, hosted by McMaster University to explore transdisciplinary insights on pandemics in the context of COVID-19. Baumann is the associate V-P Global Health and director of McMaster’s MSc Global Health program, while Boughn is a graduate student working towards her MSc Global Health.
Their webinar explored issues including pandemic responses, emergency preparedness, and common biases with respect to pandemic decision-making, before moving into a discussion on conspiracy theories and the ways in which this type of thinking builds public mistrust of information.
Missed the webinar? Watch it here.
Here, Andrea Baumann answers questions from the audience.
Is there anything you can recommend about educating the public to limit the spread of conspiracy theories and to limit the risking behaviours that some parties are anticipating will come forward now that some of the regulations or recommendations are being lifted?
This is where global information is very effective. Let’s take a look at the countries opening and allowing limited exposure between people. In regard to opening schools, we’ve started to see research coming through about infected children, for example, with information from the US. Data is also coming in about rates of transmission, issues of those with subclinical signs, issues of importance of testing, and so on. We see our Premier in our province on television dealing with this information as it comes in. And as the pandemic goes on, we learn more and more what becomes important. Right now, the topic of mind is when to open. In terms of the issue of mass gatherings, we’re seeing information about possible issues with allowing people to mingle in restaurants, on the streets. And I would say the evidence is not in, but it’s becoming apparent what some of the issues with opening are and, in the next few weeks, we’ll probably have a better formula about large crowds, or if there should be any.
Various sources indicate that YouTube is screening out misinformation about COVID-19 in videos and increasing the presence of videos produced by the WHO and other reliable sources. Do you think this is a good approach? Or, in your view, will it contribute to more conspiracy theories against companies like YouTube who choose to silence false information?
This goes right to the inherent issue of trust. So, we’ve come through a decade of lack of trust in formal institutions, and conspiracy theories arise when you’re in a state of mistrust. If we have to trust certain organizations, we have to trust ones like the World Health Organization to filter out and prepare information with accuracy. If societies have transparency and they trust their elected officials it’s not a bad idea to emphasize information coming out of the WHO, which is an organization that’s globally focused on health.
But I would also add that in global health education, and of course with many university programs in general, the emphasis is on critical thinking, and looking to more than one source for information.
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