Greetings in this session
which builds upon the last one about dealing with panic
how to manage anxiety
& practical steps to deal with it
Today, we will talk about social stigma
Our friend Fathi heard that the son of his neighbor Said
was taken to quarantine after his return from the UK
He decided not to communicate with them
He told everyone he knows that Said was infected
& that they should not be visited or even passing near to their home
After the isolation period, Said was found uninfected
But the action of Fathi deeply impacted him & his family
Today, as said, we will talk about the famous phenomenon of social stigma
which means discrimination against:
infected persons & their families
medical service providers who take care of the patients
& certain groups, as we hear about attacks against Chinese people in some other countries
How to identify stigma?
When people are classified unfairly
separated from others in society
subjected to discrimination
or deprived of their status because they are linked to disease
(maybe a family member is diseased)
Stigma often takes place during epidemics because there is a new disease
or when there is confusion or anxiety
Some people can direct such harmful emotions or comments & discriminate against the patients
Why talking about stigma?
Stigma has too negative impact
It can make people afraid
وإذا لم يكونوا على ما يرام
they may not tell anybody that they are ill
An ill person may not go to a health facility for treatment
It may make them change their behavior
which can lead to difficulty controlling the outbreak
Sometimes, this may endanger the lives of the patients because they do not seek treatment
Share us & send a message to everyone about stigma
1. Those infected with COVID-19 have not made anything wrong
They deserve our support, sympathy & kindness
2. To reduce stigma, people should not be called COVID-19 patients
Tell the community not to refer to them as infected with COVID-19
3. The sudden & nonstop influx of news reports about the spread of the disease
may lead anyone to feel anxious
Getting facts
avoiding rumors & misleading information
& gathering information regularly
from the WHO website
& government & local health platforms
will help to distinguish between facts & rumors
thus reducing fears & anxiety
4. Protect yourself & support others
Supporting others when they need it
can be beneficial to both the provider & recipient of support
5. Do not link the COVID-19 naming to any race or nationality
Be sympathetic to all the victims
in any country & everywhere
Look at your own community
& identify ways that can be used to reduce stigma
such as religious or social messages
or national laws & policies
that prohibit prejudices & intolerance
This is inacceptable in all cases
whether during emergencies or normal times
Let’s be more careful about our words
which can spread faster & wider than the disease itself
Today, we learnt about the definition of stigma, its impact & special messages
Our next session will go up to a higher level
Telling bad news
Wish you will be always safe!
