Audrey Hinchcliffe | Words matter in COVID-19 public education

With time on my hand, I may just produce a compendium of COVID-19 language. In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, where there is overwhelming confusion, anxiety and fear, we look forward to hearing in simpler terms, words that we can understand and be able to retain instruction and advice on the spread and control of the coronavirus. In this regard, a whole new vocabulary is emerging as warnings and signals about coronavirus is overtaking the media and the airwaves.

In my lifetime, and it is very long, I have never seen so many experts on medical care, healthcare, science and technology, systems and procedures. Talk to anyone – professional, lay persons, students and even scholars – and you may hear that they are overwhelmed by information overload. One glaring example playing out is about the status of vaccination. This can defeat the purpose of information and education as people tune out.

Information overload is coming from talking points on multiple measures, at the same time, backed up happily by sign language. The means of communication on the subject must be able to inform and educate; hence, we must be mindful of the signals and meaning of the communication tools being met in the context of addressing COVID-19. For the purpose of this article, my preferred definition of communication is taken from quora.com, which states: “Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another.” In simple words, “it is a process of transmitting and sharing ideas, opinions, facts, values, etc from one person to another or one organisation to another,” and I repeat, “in simple words”, and it is this observation that urges me to point out that words matter to reduce fear-based messaging.

OVER THE HEAD

I am not trying to teach communication, but just to say that in listening to daily briefings on COVID-19, locally and abroad, if what is being presented is going straight over my head – and I am a seasoned health professional – I wonder what is the effect on, and understanding of, other listeners. Further, the context of the communication is also very important, where we don’t end up believing in what was written on a T-shirt I had years ago, which was, “If you can’t dazzle them with wit, then baffle them with B...S...” Let me be clear that locally this is not necessarily my take, but in other jurisdictions, either through stress, one-upmanship or plain insensitivity and ignorance, listening to the BS it can be interpreted as policy direction on information, education, and possibly for actions. In the case of a presentation by the president of the USA, he misrepresented cleaning surfaces with UV light and chemical cleaning agents. What came across was his interpretation or understanding that the surface remedies for COVID-19 was worthy of trial for cleaning the lungs by ingestion or injection.

This is communication gone awry and it is dangerous to life, health and well-being. I can only hope that listeners strongly reject even the slightest suggestion that UV light and dangerous cleaning agents can be introduced into the body. If not already on packaging, manufactures must place the skull and crossbones symbol for visual effect under ‘Warning.’ What was heard, and what was interpreted and repeated, confirms my point that words matter – from cleaning surfaces with light and fluids to cleaning out the lungs by injection or ingestion. While this was plainly ridiculous, I worry that what was introduced for research would lead to a new era of medicines and beverages – words matter.

Just imagine the mixologists of the world arising to treat COVID-19 by start making daiquiri with a dash of Lysol; a Dettol martini; Tide pod smoothie; a bleach spritzer; or going to the doctor for an injection of sanitiser with UV rays of light. God forbid! Already, in the USA, there is a report made by the governor of a state that calls are being received, enquiring about the use of light and chemicals. There is also a report of the increase in calls to poison control centres as the injection of harmful substances is taking place, and even death being reported.

BAFFLING

Other forms of communication which I personally find baffling is the use of certain words which are plainly unhelpful when intended to educate and inform. Set out below are some new words, and some not so new, which may be appropriate for scholars, and of course, those who are eager to hone their skills as a wordsmith. However, to engage with the public in a time of crisis, we need to simplify the language to enhance compliance with measures for control of the spread of the coronavirus which causes COVID-19.

• Donning and doffing PPE’s: First, let me start with PPE, which is personal protective equipment. This is simply protective clothing designed to protect the wearer’s body from injury or infection. It includes helmets, face shields, eyewear – glasses or goggles – mask of varying types, gowns, suits or coveralls, shoes or boots, gloves and other related body coverings. As one can imagine, we put these on and we take them off very carefully, without touching the outer parts which may have come in contact with the hazard – infections or harmful injury-causing materials. So, what then is ‘donning’ and ‘doffing’? It is, simply, carefully putting on and taking off the protective clothing (or gears). Words matter.

• Comorbidity: The pronunciation is a tongue-twister, as sometimes I hear ‘co-morbidity’. Why are we using it anyway? Just simply say, ‘where there is more than one heath disorder or sickness in the same person’. I have diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis, or I have lupus, asthma and cancer. Call diseases by their names. It is bad enough that I am trying to understand the signs and symptoms that are making me sick. Do I have COVID-19, the flu or any other respiratory ailment, and now you throw in underlining comorbidity?

• Asymptomatic: Just say you are showing no sign of being sick. I can easily understand that.

• Social distancing: Tell me to leave a space between me and other people. Is it the same, or should we be saying ‘physical distancing’? What is confusing is whether it is three feet or six feet. More recently, while watching TV, I heard “two metres or seven feet”.

• Contagion: Someone wrote to ask MMS that if in the event of contagion, are we prepared to act and work? Immediately someone enquired ,”What is this?” Why not simply ask, if the disease starts spreading among the staff, can we provide replacement staff? The word ‘contagion’ can send people running; just don’t use it.

• Medical care vs healthcare has long been my pet peeve. Medical care is the treatment received from a medical doctor or health professional. On the other hand, healthcare is the organisation for the delivery and efforts to maintain and restore health and well-being, which includes medical care. My simple definition is, it is a system which underpins the business enterprise – people, process and products (supply chain). It is like medicine meet hotel services.

The tendency to use them interchangeably is widespread.

• Immunisation, inoculation and vaccination are often used synonymously, but there are important differences between them. Here we go, to end the confusion. ‘Immunisation’ is making a person protected from infection, while ‘inoculation’ is the process, and ‘vaccination’ is injection (the medicine) for the immunisation. Clarity, I hope, as words matter.

• Call centre, business process organisation (BPO), global business services (GBS):

A call centre is a centralised space where people answer or make phone calls for a particular business. This can be done in-house or outsourced; hence, this was the name widely known as a precursor to BPOs. Here comes BPO in a broader context, where it is no longer just receiving and making phone calls, but is a business which a company contracts out (outsource) its back-office operation. So, a call centre can be within a BPO.

Now, here comes global business services creating confusion around the definition, but here I refer to Deloitte’s definition; “ Instead of operating numerous shared service centres and managing outsourced vendors independently, global business services provide integration of governance, locations and business practices to all shared services and outsourcing activities across the enterprise.” While this is a mouthful, I hope it sets the stage for understanding why so many workers are caught up in COVID-19 at one location. Whether it is call centres, BPO’s or GBS – the latter has not yet widely caught on – words matter for understanding the relationship between all three.

The point I am trying to make in the foregoing definitions is that COVID-19 has created a whole new vocabulary which for daily briefings and public education, must be meaningful to listeners. The background of the literacy of the Jamaican population, which captures over 84 per cent for male and 93 per cent for female, should help to pitch communication at a level where education and information can be received, processed, understood and enhance compliance. However, the illiterate, semi-literate and ignorant must also get the message for COVID-19 prevention and control, and to reduce fear; for example, what COVID-19 is, the signs and symptoms, how it is spread, who is at risk and measures for slowing it down, prevention, and treatment when someone gets sick.

Kudos to the Government, who is out front with briefings on these measures. But in the face of seemingly poor compliance with some measures, the spread continues to escalate and community spread is in full flight. I believe part of the cause of the continued spread lies in the concern for personal circumstances; for example, a pay cheque, privileges and freedom to exercise one’s God-given rights. It is for these reasons why persons hide their illness when it is known. Yet, some openly defy accepting their role in controlling the spread of the virus. That is why I point out that what is being said, and how it is being said, should pique the interest of the listener, who, in turn, will understand his/her personal responsibility in the fight to control COVID-19.

Words matter.

Audrey Hinchcliffe is the CEO and founder of Manpower and Maintenance Services Ltd Group. Send feedback to ceo@manpowerja.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.