Beliefs about the novel coronavirus and the infected in Slovenia and Serbia

Ajda Novak, Aleksandra Bojković

 Full article (pdf)  |   Written in Slovene  |  Published: 7. September 2020 |  Reads: 391

Abstract

COVID-19 is an infectious disease that became a pandemic in March 2020.  The aim was to examine the beliefs about the novel coronavirus and the infected in Slovenia and Serbia as similar infectious diseases caused fear and stigma in the past. We were interested in whether the beliefs changed after the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the countries. We analyzed 19,196 comments below news articles on coronavirus on online media sites MMC and N1. The most common characteristics of coronavirus mentioned were contagiousness, high mortality and unfamiliarity of the disease. The commentators were critical of inadequate informing. They advised self-protection, including isolation, and predicted the most probable consequences of the pandemic: economic damage and healthcare breakdown. Negative feelings, such as panic and uncertainty, were most prevalent. As hypothesized, the commentators stigmatized the infected. After the first case of the coronavirus in the country, the commentators were more disapproving of the actions of the competent authorities. Calling attention to the unpreparedness to deal with an epidemic causes more negative feelings, which are further exacerbated by fake news on coronavirus characteristics, test reliability and the number of infected and deceased. We advise psychoeducation for journalists and administrators from online media news to remain mentally healthy.

Keywords

COVID-19, Slovenia, Serbia, comment analysis, online media news, content analysis

Cite

Novak, A. & Bojković, A. (2020). Prepričanja o novem koronavirusu in okuženih s koronavirusom v Sloveniji in Srbiji [Beliefs about the novel coronavirus and the infected in Slovenia and Serbia]. Eksperimentator, 4, 33–42.