ABSTRACT
In time of a global health crisis, media play the most important role in keeping the public informed and educated about the scientific facts and government responses related to managing the crisis. The information flow associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic has been nicknamed an infodemic. From the perspective of risk communication, the COVID-19 infodemic has created confusion about and distrust in science-based information, due to the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and even conspiracy theories. In particular, the World Health Organization seems to be fighting a losing battle against the COVID-19 infodemic, as it spreads through the world like the virus itself. Social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter have also intensified their effort to identify and remove Russian troll accounts and the like, with little success. The objective of this chapter is to help risk communication researchers, public policymakers, and health professionals gain a better understanding of how the public perceives and responds to the myths, misinformation, disinformation, and rumors amidst an infodemic, alongside science-based facts and recommendations. The chapter will also review how the current pandemic communication relates to key health behavior theories and models that could help guide future research on pandemic preventive behaviors.
