By Bara Vaida
Outbreaks and infectious disease can be difficult topics to cover. Stories need to be informative, sensitive and scientifically sound – all without inducing panic. When there were several Ebola cases in the United States starting in 2014, it was easy to feed public fear with inflammatory media coverage. When covering the recent outbreaks, what can journalists learn from that experience to avoid incendiary coverage while still respecting the public’s right to know?
Here are resources, infectious disease experts to interview and websites with useful tips about reporting on Ebola, emerging infectious diseases and lessons learned.
Ebola and its history
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains Ebola here and the West Africa outbreak here.
- The National Institutes of Health has a status report on the latest Ebola outbreak and background here.
- BBC report on Why Ebola Keeps Coming Back.
- CNN on How Ebola Spreads.
Ebola vaccines and treatments
- Scientific American’s Dina Fine Maron offers this primer on what is known about the Merck Ebola vaccine.
- Ebola treatments approved for compassionate use in current outbreak (June 4, 2018)
- NIH on existing Ebola vaccine candidates and treatment candidates.
- Stat on Competition by Drug Companies to Test Ebola Vaccines and Treatments During Current Outbreak.
What’s different in global response in 2018?
- Kaiser Family Foundation brief explaining the key differences and changes since 2014 shaping global response to the Ebola outbreak.
- CNN story outlining what is different from four years ago; fast facts on Ebola and a timeline on outbreak four years ago.
- Washington Post on the U.S. sending $8 million in aid to DRC.
- Bright Magazine reports why the outbreak “could be an epidemiological nightmare”Š—”Šbut experts are cautiously optimistic.”
Tips to reporters from reporters
- The World Federation of Science Journalists’ created a comprehensive website on understanding Ebola and tips and traps for covering it.
- Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on Media and Politics and Public Policy interviewed Stat news veteran infectious disease reporter Helen Branswell who offered tips on covering fast-moving outbreaks.
- AHCJ’s Kris Hickman also compiled a tip sheet for covering emerging infectious diseases.
- AHCJ’s Tara Haelle has advice based on a panel discussion at Health Journalism 2016 conference in Cleveland.
- Advice to journalists on pandemic preparedness from Health Journalism 2018 conference in Phoenix
- Ebola Archives – Compilation of Ebola stories by AHCJ board member Maryn McKenna, a veteran infectious disease journalist.
Infectious disease experts
- CDC Media contact: Amy Rowland, media and public affairs lead, CDC’s Center for Global Health, isc4@cdc.gov, 678-332-9601.
- The American Association for the Advancement of Science created SciLine in October 2017 to help reporters quickly connect with experts who have been trained to talk to the media, including more than a dozen infectious disease specialists.
- Cyrus Shapar, former CDC official and director of preventing pandemics for Resolve to Save Lives, a nonprofit focused on preventing epidemics, cshahpar@resolvetosavelives.org, 510-915-0760.
- Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, mto@umn.edu, 612-624-9272.
- AHCJ 2015 briefing on Ebola: There are some useful slides from the seminar at our 2015 conference, including speakers who may be good sources for stories.
Lessons learned from 2014 Ebola outbreak
- The Poynter Institute’s advice on lessons learned from 2014-15 Ebola outbreak and how to cover outbreaks in the future. It includes a useful compilation of most of its coverage during that outbreak.
- Criticism by Health News Review on Ebola coverage by network news shows.
- Local and State Public Health Planning for Ebola Preparedness from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Also, what local health departments need to know about Ebola from the National Association of Country and City Health Officials.
Media ethics in covering outbreaks
- How to be a Responsible Journalist When Covering Ebola: Guidelines from the Society of Professional Journalists.
- Media Messages and Perceptions of Risk for Infection: A CDC report documenting how during the 2014-15 outbreak the public often was misinformed about how Ebola spreads.
- Mass Media Coverage Helps Slow Down Disease Spread in an Epidemic: A study in the Journal of Theoretical Biology on the role the media can play.
- When Writing About Ebola, What Images Should You Use?: Poynter tips on using sensitive images for Ebola stories.
- AHCJ worked with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the National Association of Country and City Health Officials in 2011 to develop guidance on what information should be made public on what information should be made public when someone dies or falls ill during a public health emergency.
Medical terms
- Infectious vs. contagious: When it comes to Ebola, choosing words carefully is important.
- Patient condition terminology: A primer on what some basic hospital terms mean.
- Poynter’s fast tips for understanding a medical crisis like Ebola.
Ebola data
- World Health Organization Ebola map.
- HealthMap has an up-to-date interactive map of the Ebola outbreak.
- The One Campaign has compiled an “Ebola Response Tracker” to find out what aid has been pledged to fight Ebola.
