One thing permeates the news, conversations, even memes of our time: the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The virus has swept the globe, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty – and a dearth of reliable information in many areas.
A Harvard team led by Sara Al-Zubi and Amina Ziad seeks to fix this. Headed by two Harvard Med students, the team has developed simple, clear coronavirus infographics. So far, they have translated them into 12 different languages and counting, including Arabic and Turkish.
Battling Misinformation with Coronavirus Infographics
As first-year Harvard Med students, Al-Zubi and Ziad saw a concerning amount of misinformation and panic spreading on the internet.
“As members of the Middle Eastern and North African communities, we quickly noticed how much misinformation was spreading about COVID-19,” Ziad explains. “From conspiracy theories about the virus’ origins to potentially harmful recipes for cleaning products, we have seen a spectrum of myths circulating across social media platforms.”
A Growing Team
In order to battle this misinformation, the pair teamed up with a number of other members of the Harvard Health community. Their team now includes 7 people, including a graphic designer from Algeria.
Their coronavirus infographics offer clear, basic information to help communities understand the current situation. In order to do this, they explain how the novel coronavirus spreads, as well as the symptoms associated with it.
“We wanted to focus on increasing awareness around COVID-19 symptoms, according to reputable sources like WHO/ CDC,” says Al-Zubi. “We also wanted to expand people’s knowledge about what they can do to prevent the spread.”
“I think it’s important to have specific, concise information in a pandemic because it allowed us to narrow it down to what individuals can do on a first-hand basis. Finally, we wanted to empower our communities so that they are able to respond effectively to COVID-19.”
Specifically, the team’s infographics show readers how to recognize the virus, how to effectively wash their hands – soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds – and how to slow the spread of the disease in their community. “Social distancing is key for protecting those that are most vulnerable in our communities,” she explains.
Coronavirus Infographics Spread to New Communities
Everyone should have access to this information. So Al-Zubi and Ziad focus their efforts on certain communities in which they saw a lack of accurate information.
“Our audience is communities in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia,” Al-Zubi notes. “We are currently translating our information to 12 languages but are quickly expanding.”
On a final note, Al-Zubi calls for everyone to seek out reputable sources for more information about the coronavirus. She also wants to remind readers to “be sure to take some time to take care of you.”
In addition to sharing these coronavirus infographics on social media like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp, the team is also partnering with organizations like Refugee Trauma Initiative to boost their reach.
