Use of immunology in news and YouTube videos in the context of COVID-19: politicisation and information bubbles.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic propelled immunology into global news and social media, resulting in the potential for misinterpreting and misusing complex scientific concepts.

Objective

To study the extent to which immunology is discussed in news articles and YouTube videos in English and Italian, and if related scientific concepts are used to support specific political or ideological narratives in the context of COVID-19.

Methods

In English and Italian we searched the period 11/09/2019 to 11/09/2022 on YouTube, using the software Mozdeh, for videos mentioning COVID-19 and one of nine immunological concepts: antibody-dependent enhancement, anergy, cytokine storm, herd immunity, hygiene hypothesis, immunity debt, original antigenic sin, oxidative stress and viral int

SUBMITTER: George RS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10906096 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature