The role of the media in outbreaks of severe infectious disease

The ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic, the spread of SARS in 2003 and recently the coverage of the worldwide spread of avian influenza virus (H5N1) bear witness of the crucial role of the media in shaping society’s response to outbreaks of severe infectious disease. The media informs the public, professionals, politicians, policy-makers and others regarding the situation and potential threats involved. The media pinpoints critical issues and acts as a catalyst for official reactions and commitments. Furthermore, the media communicates and forms the public picture of an ongoing epidemic. In contemporary society, the media not only supplies news and important information about an epidemic, but also frequently takes part in the actual control of disease and intervenes in political processes, influencing and creating public opinions and demanding authorities to take action. This intense psychological impact is especially strong during the initial period of a novel epidemic/pandemic. Such media interventions have not always occurred, and interesting comparisons can be made between the role of the media during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. In this session, we would like to address the changing role of the media in outbreaks of severe infectious diseases in recent history, as well as the processes behind these changes. We welcome papers discussing the media’s impact on professionals, politicians, policy-makers as well as on the public during serious epidemics/pandemics or other severe crises.