225 - The Challenges With Communicating COVID-19 Prevention Measures

Communicating evidence-based COVID-19 prevention measures like mask-wearing and hand washing has been a challenge. What's further complicated buy-in are public health officials and politicians creating policies that are not backed in science like closing parks in Spain or banning the sale of open-toed shoes in South Africa. Science journalist Roxanne Khamsi talks with Stephanie Desmon about the harm of imposing policies that aren't evidence-based. They also discuss the consequences of trying to communicate about a virus with devastating effects that are largely invisible from the public eye. KEYWORDS: health communication; policy