Thread by @SoniaBoender

Using Twitter during the #COVID19 pandemic?

With @cc_martell and @DanielRhysThom1, I wrote a perspective piece on social media for (field) epidemiologists #SoMe4epi

📜 tinyurl.com/2km3dz4s

THREAD 🧵👇
@THLorg @rki_de @PublicHealthW @ECDC_EU #EPIET #WorldFieldEpidemiologyDay

We reflect on social media/@Twitter for epidemiologists working on the #COVID19 response

We introduce the field of social media to those not currently using social media in their public health practice:

So please share outside of the Twitterverse as well!

#SoMe4epi #OpenAccess

Why this piece?

🌍 #COVID19 is the 1st pandemic in the social media age

🕵️‍♂️ Field epi now also includes an online field

👨‍💻 Social media can be a powerful tool for epidemiologists #SoMe4epi

🤝 Key usages of Twitter include #SciComm and professional development #EpiTwitter

Whilst the pandemics of #SARS in 2003 and #H1N1 in 2009 made headlines around the world,
they ran their course in a world very different from the #COVID19 pandemic & #infodemic

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1228683949796470784

We can learn from previous #outbreaks, such as:

▶️ Content Analysis of Tweets during the 2009 #H1N1 Outbreak
@PLOSONE journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…

▶️ Social media analysis of #Zika vaccine misconceptions
doi.org/10.1016/j.vacc…

#SoMe4epi #infodemiology #infodemic

The global reach of #COVID19 and the steep increase in social media use has made it an altogether different experience:

Read more here in @JAMA, by @RainaMerchant et al: 👉jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/…
👉jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/…

#SoMe4epi #PublicHealth

The #COVID19 #pandemic measures have also changed our (online) behaviour.

👉See @shufengtsao et al in @LancetDigitalH
“...social media has rapidly become a crucial communication tool for information generation, dissemination, and consumption.”

https://twitter.com/LancetDigitalH/status/1355105407828680706?s=20

#SoMe4epi

Importantly, great examples of #SciComm and advocacy during #COVID19 times are out there!

For example: @amdar1ing her initiative to #FlattenTheCurve by #Catteningthecurve

📈Data/graphs: Not compelling to many
😻Kitties: Compelling to many

#SoMe4epi

https://twitter.com/amdar1ing/status/1237880129575157760

In addition to excellent reporting on the pandemic, @MackayIM enlightened us with the summary of risks & measures as part of the #SwissCheeseModel 🧀

Version 3.0 already, with many adoptions and translations available!

#SciComm #COVID19 #SoMe4epi

https://twitter.com/MackayIM/status/1319901144836026368

Of note, the #SwissCheeseModel has found its way into official public health communication in Ireland!

@CMOIrleland @MackayIM #SoMe4epi #SciComm

https://twitter.com/CMOIreland/status/1357746538685038595?s=20

Twitter is also an excellent tool for networking with the #SoMe4epi community🥰

Find the tribe and your niche using hashtags, e.g. #EpiTwitter #GovEpi #FETP #DataScience (see Box 1)

And, find #FieldEpi fellows and graduates listed here by @iTrainEU: twitter.com/i/lists/116807…

However, there is no good without the bad… also when it comes to social media and the #COVID19 pandemic

🤔How do we know who is the expert?
💭We tend to get stuck in filter bubbles..
😩How to make sense of all this information?!
…

#SoMe4epi #infodemic #InfodemicManager

Research dynamics are heavily affected by the #COVID19 pandemic, such as

Bandwagoning, see @HeranDarwin et al: doi.org/10.15252/embr.…
& #covidization of research @Nature: nature.com/articles/d4158…

Once more: we’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an #infodemic.

Media literacy is essential - how to spot #FakeNews with @factcheckdotorg:
factcheck.org/2016/11/how-to…

This infographic is available in 40+ languages!
ifla.org/publications/n…

#SoMe4epi #InfodemicManager

We can LISTEN to the talk of the day using digital tools, such as the #EARS platform:
[Early #AI-supported Response with #SocialListening 👂]

Dashboard: whoinfodemic.citibeats.com/?cat=fYJ1oBNEU…
More info @WHO @Citybeats: tinyurl.com/54x9cy2b

#InfodemicManager 🦄#SoMe4epi

The applied epidemiology workforce needs more social media training to strengthen emergency response.

➡️Only 11% reported training in social and comm skills for social media in the #EpiResponseStudy by @cambodamy et al (global survey 2019–2020)

#SoMe4epi

https://twitter.com/cambodamy/status/1387971321074647041?s

With the #EPIET Alumni Network @EANBoard, we organised the inaugural workshop Social Media for Public Health Professionals in 2019
@dfpmarques @CBarnadas @agmshankar @p_vladimir @LMorantz @RaquelMedialdea @StineNielsenEPI

About #SoMe4epis/#SoMe4epi...👇

https://twitter.com/CBarnadas/status/1168142374809296897?s=20

The 2019 workshop also resulted in the birth of our hashtag: #SoMe4epi! 🥳

(Check out both #SoMe4epis & #SoMe4epi for all historical content… we went through a small existential crisis there...😅) #HashtagSaga

https://twitter.com/SoniaBoender/status/1401879300249427971?s=20

@WHO offers excellent training:
🧑‍💻OpenWHO training in risk communication and community engagement challenges
openwho.org/courses/RCCE-C…

🦄 Become an #InfodemicManager during month of hands-on training
who.int/news-room/arti…

#SoMe4epi #RCCE #COVID19 #infodemic

What would John Snow have tweeted, back in 1854?
Or Florence Nightingale, along with her Rose Chart in 1858?

For the first time, field epidemiology includes an online field

#SoMe4epi #EpiTwitter #WorldFieldEpidemiologyDay @tephinet #FETP #FieldEpidemiology

To wrap up... it’s time to share my favourite #SoMe4epi resources 🤩

📕@dsquintana’s excellent e-book t4scientists.com
&
🗒️ Ten simple rules for getting started on Twitter as a scientist @DrVeronikaCH @Felienne @CaAl @nbielczyk_neuro @ionicasmeets
tinyurl.com/hdyefzw3

If you're keen on video, watch the recording of my talk “Social Media for Public Health” at the @BEMColloquium:
📽️
& check out the live tweeting of the talk by @JLRohmann 🙌

https://twitter.com/JLRohmann/status/1379818520406556672?s=20

#SoMe4epi #SoMe4epis

Closing my longest-thread-ever by thanking you all lovely tweeps, and the inaugural #SoMe4epi workshop co-organisers and participants @EANBoard @StineNielsenEPI, and of course my co-authors @cc_martell @DanielRhysThom1 🙏

#WorldFieldEpidemiologyDay

@threadreaderapp please unroll #SoMe4epi