The Time of Epidemics: Stories From the Field
Key points by Ioanna Georgia Eskiadi
In today’s webinar we discussed epidemics, and professionals shared their experiences from the field. The COVID-19 pandemic during this past year has tested our society and has led us to reflect on the value of human life and the protection of mental health. People struggle between the hope of finding a vaccine, despair over death and social isolation, and a refusal to accept the situation, such as growing misinformation and a lack of trust in specialist and competent government agencies. All of these issues have created insecurities and the need to answer people’s questions and concerns. It’s important to learn from epidemics and to be responsible, to see how people cope and think about what could have been done better.
When the world is collectively at risk, defense becomes a shared responsibility of all nations. Epidemics are not something new, but COVID-19 is something new to respond to. In the last few years, epidemiological journalism has been developed. The changes the world is facing in the last years proves that the world is losing its balance, and it should teach young epidemiologists how to distinguish and learn epidemiology combined with a quick response. Among the reasons why COVID-19 is spread is globalization, as we live in a small word where everywhere can be visited and be traveled to via airplanes.
It’s important to detect the crisis early enough and most importantly all the humanitarian donors should be able to position people and provide the know-how on training nurses and doctors on how to survive in these situations. It’s important to be part of the solution; a photographer taking pictures gives the opportunity to raise awareness and show the suffering of people in other parts of the world and understand the ethics and the morality. It’s important to point out that epidemics don’t understand borders and you can’t control such informal passages within countries. Also, it’s important in the management of epidemics to engage, share responsibilities, understand that life goes on and things will still flow. Additionally, a lot of times there is a stigmatization of people, since people believe that there’s something wrong and they are not part of the society. Communities are resilient, people will come together again and it’s important to understand that we will live in a different way that we aren’t used to. In epidemics, each society has vulnerabilities, like structure and political priorities.
During the COVID-19 epidemic, we had to create a new normal, since we are fight a new enemy, and we are coping with the invisible. We should know that there are no COVID-19 experts, people are just trying to bring their best experience and knowledge. Epidemics challenge and reform our societies, since they break the borders and they have to break the disciplines.
Key points
· Reflect the value of human life and protection of mental health.
· Conspiracy theories and anti-vaccination movement.
· Successes and failures in pandemic management.
· Ethical and journalistic coverage of human suffering.
· Defense becomes a shared responsibility of all nations.
· Prevent and respond to epidemics.
· Development of epidemiological journalism.
· World id losing its balance.
· Globalization and spread of COVID-19.
· Adequate training for nurses and doctors.
You can watch the virtual discussion on DCN SEE Hub’s Page.
Opening speech
Rector of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Prof. Nikolaos Papaioannou
Speakers
• Dr. Ezra Barzilay, MD CPH, Country Director for the CDC office in Kyiv, Ukraine, leading the country’s effords to respond the COVID-19
• Dimitrios Bouras Award-winning photographer and documentarian of the epidemic process
• Alexandros Michailidis Accredited photojournalist for the European Union, specializing in humanitarian crises.
Moderator
• Nikos Panagiotou, Associate Professor, School of Journalism and Mass Media Communication, Aristotle University, Digital Communication Network Global, Greece.
This event is co-organized by Digital Communication Network SouthEast Europe Hub (DCN SEE) and World Learning and is part of DCNSEE’s Ideas in Action — Digital Engagement, a series of virtual events launched in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. DCNSEE is supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Citizen Exchanges.
DCN SOUTHEAST EUROPE HUB is a consortium of Aristotle University, Digital Communication Network, non-profits, public and private organizations and companies involved in the fields of digital communication, social impact campaigns, technology, and innovation. It is a unique, interdisciplinary coalition tapping into the best talent and resources across Europe.
