Promoting public health in the face of disinformation

Abstract

Disinformation hampered the response to both the HIV and Covid pandemics. Nevertheless, for the most part scientifically sound public health messaging prevailed: today millions of South Africans are on antiretroviral treatment and during the Covid pandemic most of the most vulnerable people in the country got vaccinated. The aim of this article is to describe what strategies in the author's experience were the most effective for communicating public health messages. Ten tips are provided for help health workers more effectively spread sound public health advice.