Social Media in the Age of a Pandemic

During the lockdown due to the COVID-19 virus, there has been a spike in social media. Applications are receiving all time high records of people online. This is both a positive and a negative thing. One positive thing is that scientists have been able to spread discoveries about the virus very quickly. This has helped scientists find effective treatment methods and protocols regarding the disease. However, what can make it negative is the interpretation of these discoveries. There are so many news outlets that are unreliable sources. Discoveries being made about the virus can often lead to false information being spread. Be wary of sites that seem professional, just because they look professional does not by any means correlate with them being an accurate news source. Even news outlets are becoming unreliable. Yes, social media has been a great distraction and way to pass time while practicing social distancing, but it is so easy to fall into the trap that social media builds of false information spreading around. I mean, look at what happened with people drinking bleach and disinfectant sprays! Everything is truly turning to chaos, or what really feels like it.
Here's what I have done to try to lessen my own feeling of distress. I have taken action to mute anything that really pertains to the virus. Google puts live updates online, so if I am interested in hearing about the numbers, I can always just look it up myself without going through seeing personal stories on social media. Living in the hotspot of the virus has its own personal trauma for me, especially because I have lost a loved one during this pandemic, so hearing these stories aren't very effective for me because I have already lived it. Everyone should do their part by practicing social distancing and taking this seriously! This is no joke.

Reference: https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2020/04/social-media-has-been-a-blessing-and-a-curse-during-the-pandemic