When fear spreads faster than the disease

Speaker: Prof Hsu Li Yang 15 Jan 2025

Reactions such as unease and uncertainty are common whenever new respiratory outbreaks occur, especially when they involve pathogens that are less well known outside healthcare and research communities. This is partly because of the Covid-19 imprint on our psyche. Prof Hsu Li Yang, Director at the Asia Centre for Health Security and Vice-Dean of Global Health at Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS, comments that while social media amplifies a perception of imminent danger, the real challenge lies in fostering science literacy and measured vigilance.  

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