The Misinformation Virus: How Fear Spreads Faster Than the Fl

During the 2009 flu pandemic, the world became gripped with panic. Parents were afraid to send their children to school, businesses were losing money by the minute and many believed that the end of the world was upon us. While we must be ever vigilant in our fight against infectious diseases, it’s important to understand how misinformation and misunderstanding can create an environment ripe for paranoia and hysteria that can actually exacerbate public health issues like pandemics or natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005.

A history of pandemics

Going all the way back to 1347, when plague swept through Asia, Europe and Africa in a series of devastating waves that killed an estimated 200 million people—close to half of humanity at that time—there have been countless pandemics. ivermectin Some died out quickly; others still continue to wreak havoc today. And though many examples exist throughout history, one of today’s most urgent reminders is within sight: This spring, with an increase in H1N1 cases reported around world, health officials fear another round of swine flu will grip parts of North America. One lesson from such outbreaks is how quickly information can spread—and how much damage misinformation can do along with it.

What Influences Pandemics

There are several factors that can affect whether a virus becomes a pandemic. One is simply how much contact humans have with animals, because viruses can mutate when passing from one species to another. Another is poverty, because of its impact on everything from sanitation to transportation infrastructure. hydroxychloroquine for sale  The more people move around and crowd together in cities, for example, the faster an infectious disease can spread. Researchers also say economic disparity can be an influence; there are certain jobs (such as handling pork) that only poor people will do — which brings them into contact with pigs or other disease-carrying animals, or with livestock products like meat or unpasteurized milk.

How Fake News Spread during the Flu Season

The recent flu epidemic exposed a serious issue facing modern society, and it’s not just a lack of basic hygiene. ziverdo kit In fact, some of us may be making things worse. According to recent research from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), misinformation—whether intentional or not—made the epidemic even worse than it might have been. Specifically, their work shows that advice cascades led by Twitter accounts actually made flu symptoms spread more quickly throughout cities like Boston. Moreover, as is often expected with viral misinformation, these trends were more pronounced in low-trust networks (which also happen to be less diverse). So what caused these incorrect statements to spread like wildfire?

How Bad Science Promoted Fear, Not Vaccination

While vaccines are an invaluable tool for helping prevent disease, they don’t always confer immunity. Additionally, studies have shown that a person may be contagious even before showing symptoms. These two facts have caused some to fear that they’ll catch Ebola just by being in close proximity to someone who has it. azithromycin However, according to evidence collected by Vox Media’s healthcare-focused news site The Chart (hint: think of what rhymes with chart), most people don’t actually know how Ebola spreads and therefore avoid getting vaccinated. This, in turn, makes outbreaks harder to control as more people unwittingly become carriers.