England enters its third national lockdown which will last until the most vulnerable groups are vaccinated. This could be as late as March, PM Boris Johnson announced yesterday. The pressure is now on journalists to provide accurate information and help people understand why vaccines are necessary to fight the pandemic, which could curb public mistrust in science and speed up the rollout of the vaccine.
With two vaccines approved for use in the UK and the government hoping to inoculate 13 million people by February, journalists will be playing a crucial role in scrutinising the process and examining facts.
International media trainer Sherry Ricchiardi has provided some expert advice for journalists reporting on covid-19 vaccines. Her article warns against spreading "pandemic misinformation" and encourages journalists to cultivate relationships with vaccine experts, such as epidemiologists, doctors and virologists.
As multiple new vaccines are emerging onto the market, keeping our reporting accurate will become even more challenging so rigorous fact-checking is a must.
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