Between historical precedents and fantasies of the “zombie movie”, viruses are a source of fear in the collective unconscious, and the authorities as the media must weigh their words on the new Chinese coronavirus, not to create unreasoned panic, according to experts.
Why are viruses scary?
“Epidemic diseases are the source of innate fear because the enemy is invisible to the naked eye,” said Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott, Australian infectious disease specialist. This is especially true for viruses, since there are only “very few drugs”, unlike “bacteria, which are fought with antibiotics,” added another Australian researcher, Professor Sanjaya Senanayake.
“It is the fear that the Other: neighbor, brother, sister, parents, will become a danger that must be avoided”
And in the collective unconscious, this fear of the epidemic occupies a special place: “it is the fear of each other’s war against each other,” notes Laurent-Henri Vignaud, French historian of science. “It is the fear that the Other – neighbor, brother, sister, parents … – will become a danger that must be avoided,” he continues. It is on this psychological spring that play “the horror films where people are contaminated and become zombies”.
“It is extremely destructive, because it calls into question the social bond”, according to Henri Vignaud. “The specificity of contagious diseases is that we are afraid of the sick. It changes the nature of the threat. “
Last factor likely to fuel fear: the fact that a virus is new, therefore unknown, regardless of its real dangerousness. In comparison, the SARS epidemic, caused by a virus close to the new Chinese coronavirus, had killed 774 people worldwide in 2002–2003, while the WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that the common flu seasonal kills between 290,000 and 650,000 people each year.
Historical examples?
“The one that comes to mind right away is that of the plague” (a disease which is not due to a virus, but to a bacillus) in the Middle Ages, notes Henri Vignaud, mentioning “the concept of pathocenosis”. “Invented by historian Mirko Grmek (1924–2000, editor’s note), it shows that each era has its own disease,” said the French historian.
According to this concept, “depending on the economic, political, social context, this or that disease is concretely, but also psychologically, more of a threat than another: it is a kind of competitive contagious diseases and some are imposed depending on the context. “For example, cholera and tuberculosis are the two major diseases that terrify the 19th century, and they are linked to urbanization, with dirty water on one side, overcrowding and unsanitary housing” , analyzes Henri Vignaud.
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Today, he said, “there is a period effect linked to the fear of a global pandemic.” “This is the counterpart of globalization: the good side is that you can fly and go almost anywhere on the planet in a few hours. The bad side is that suddenly, the virus can also travel “, He adds.
What attitude from the authorities?
“Communication is the key,” said Australian scientist Raina MacIntyre. “The health authorities must provide transparent information, which hides nothing, but without creating panic”. “It’s a delicate balance,” recognizes Professor Senanayake.
Good information is important, underlines Professor MacIntyre: it “can help reduce the risk of infection, thanks to advice to travelers or recommendations on prevention strategies” (wearing masks, washing hands, etc.) as much, it is necessary to avoid giving the feeling of over reacting.
“To maintain public trust, it is important that the health authorities are honest”
“After the A / H1N1 flu epidemic of 2009, the WHO was implicated because it immediately went on high alert,” recalls Henri Vignaud. ” Communication was very badly done, the authorities weren’t able to communicate the objective data and it could have caused some sort of panic. “
“To maintain public confidence, it is important that health officials be honest about what they know about an epidemic, and also what they don’t know,” said Prof. Kamradt-Scott. Another important point, he said, as the epidemic progresses, authorities must be able to “counter conspiracy theories and rumors.”
What role for the media?
“The media have a crucial responsibility: they must only disseminate verified and factual information, and avoid speculation and exaggeration as much as possible,” said Prof. Kamradt-Scott.
“The simple fact of speaking all day long about a subject, even with the intention of informing, can create worries,” remarks Professor Senanayake.
“However, it is the role of the media to keep the public informed about new developments in a story “he continued, noting that the epidemic “is only in its infancy” and that “we are learning new things every day”.
“On the other hand, there is the question of social networks, a nebulous area where excellent and false information coexist,” concludes Professor Senanayake.
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