The Use of Mass Media and Social Media in the Campaign Against the Spread of Corona Virus Disease (Covid 19)
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The main objective of the study is to investigates the Use Of Mass Media and Social Media in the Campaign against the Spread Of Corona Virus Disease. Specifically, the study aims to:
- Determine the extent to which Uyo residents depended on the media for information during the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
- Identify the most preferred media for information during the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
- Determine Uyo residents perception of the role of each media in information dissemination during the covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
On December 31, 2019, the China Health Authority alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) to several cases of pneumonia of unknown aetiology in Wuhan City in Hubei Province in central China. The cases had been reported since December 8, 2019, and many patients worked at or lived around the local Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market although other early cases had no expo- sure to this market [Lu H, et’al 2020]. On January 7, a novel coronavirus, originally abbreviated as 2019-nCoV by WHO, was identified from the throat swab sample of a patient [Hui DS, et’al 2020]. This pathogen was later renamed as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the Coronavirus Study Group [Gorbalenya AEA 2020] and the disease was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the WHO. As of January 30, 7736 confirmed and 12,167 suspected cases had been reported in China and 82 confirmed cases had been detected in 18 other coun- tries [Burki TK. 2020]. In the same day, WHO declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) [Burki TK. 2020]. According to the National Health Commission of China, the mor- tality rate among confirmed cased in China was 2.1% as of February 4 [NHC, 20205] and the mortality rate was 0.2% among cases outside China [WHO, 2020]. Among patients admitted to hospitals, the mortality rate ranged between 11% and 15% [Zhao J,Hu Y,et al.2020]. COVID-19 is moderately infectious with a relatively high mortality rate, but the information available in public reports and published literature is rapidly increasing. The aim of this review is to summarize the current understanding of COVID-19 including causative agent, pathogenesis of the disease, diagnosis and treatment of the cases, as well as control and prevention strategies.
The virus: Classification and origin
SARS-CoV-2 is a member of the family Coronaviridae and order Nidovirales. The family consists of two subfamilies, Coronavirinae and Torovirinae and members of the subfamily Coronavirinae are subdivided into four genera: (a) Alphacoronavirus contains the human coronavirus (HCoV)-229E and HCoV-NL63; (b) Betacoronavirus includes HCoV-OC43, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome human coronavirus (SARS-HCoV), HCoV-HKU1, and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV); (c) Gammacoronavirus includes viruses of whales and birds and; (d) Deltacoronavirus includes viruses isolated from pigs and birds [Burrell C, et al.2016]. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to Betacoronavirus together with two highly pathogenic viruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped and positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus [Kramer A, et al.2006].
SARS-CoV-2 is considered a novel human-infecting Betacoro- navirus [Lu R,et al.2020]. Phylogenetic analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 genome indicates that the virus is closely related (with 88% identity) to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses collected in 2018 in east- ern China (bat-SL-CoVZC45 and bat-SL-CoVZXC21) and genetically distinct from SARS-CoV (with about 79% similarity) and MERS-CoV [Lu R,et al.2020].
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
In this chapter, we would describe how the study was carried out.
Research design
It is a term used to describe a number of decisions which need to be taken regarding the collection of data before they are collected. (Nwana, 1981). It provides guidelines which direct the researcher towards solving the research problem and may vary depending on the nature of the problem being studied. According to Okaja ( 2003, p. 2),” research design means the structuring of investigation aimed at identifying variables and their relationship, it is used for the purpose of obtaining data to enable the investigator test hypothesis or answer research question by providing procedural outline for conducting research”. It is therefore, an outline or scheme that serves as a useful guide to the researcher in his efforts to generate data for his study. This study adopts the survey research design. According to Babbie (1990) cited in Akarika, Ukpe and Ikon (2019:58) survey is probably the best method available to the social scientist interested in collecting original data for describing a population too large to observe directly.
Sources of Data
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
Population of the study
A study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description (Prince Udoyen: 2019). The population of the study comprised of Akwa Ibom State residents based on the 2018 National Population Commission (NPC) projected census figure of 2006 taken at 3.4% yearly growth rate which gave the figure as 4,828,267.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
Introduction
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered.
Table 3 shows that majority of respondents 400 (140, 250) representing 82% (30%, 52%) often and very often exposed themselves to media information on coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria. This means that respondents frequency of exposure to media information on coronavirus pandemic was very regular.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS
The major aim of this study was to evaluate The Use Of Mass Media and Social Media in the Campaign against the Spread Of Corona Virus Disease during the covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The study found out that during health emergency situation like the covid-19 pandemic which was occasioned by anxiety, tension, fear and uncertainty, residents depended more on the media to obtain information that can help reduce tension and fear.
Based on the foregoing, the study recommends the following:
- The mass media social media should be objective, fair, honest and devoid of bias during health emergencies like covid-19 pandemic since a lot of media audience rely on them for health updates.
- Since the internet has altered information seeking behaviour of the audience in the 21st century, traditional media audience should upgrade to contemporary audience in order to access latest news on their social network platforms.
References
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- Babbie, F. R. (1990). Survey Research Method (2nd ed). Belmont, C. A: Wardsworth.
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