This study intends to explore the responses of local government during the COVID-19-induced lockdown in the rural areas, with particular emphasis on Bangladesh. By adopting a qualitative phenomenological research approach and employing multi-method data collection techniques (for instance, Key Informant Interview (KII), Focus Group Discussion (FGD), participant observation, and content analysis), this study found that the local governments managed the crisis of the pandemic relatively well with its limited manpower and funding through adequate preparedness and prevention strategies; effective emergency responses; and consolidated post-lockdown measures. The study revealed that the Bangladesh local government promptly took some essential actions, such as preparedness and prevention, arrangement of home quarantine and isolation, the training program for readiness, and disseminated crucial information to the local people during the pandemic, such as using masks, hand washing and sanitizing, and social distancing. Besides, the local government delivered relief, such as food and non-food items and financial support. Furthermore, the rural local government took post-lockdown responses to tackle pandemic in rural Bangladesh. Nevertheless, the service delivery individuals from local governance encountered numerous challenges, like scarcity of manpower, less support, and superstition, while providing services during the pandemic.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has dented the global public health profile. On the one side, the ubiquity of social media has led to damaging misinformation, fake news, stigmatization, and conspiracy theories. Fortunately, on the other side, the advantageous characteristics of social media and the informational support mechanisms with which they produce social safety valves; are a solid basis to curbing the pandemic. This paper examines the use of social media as a valuable platform to publicly communicate the COVID-19, especially its scientific discourses. This paper focuses on Facebook as a platform amenable to the strategic digital communication of COVID-19. It takes illustrations from screenshots of Facebook users in Nigeria and Bangladesh. Some of the identified strategies include supporting for preventive measures, focusing on solutions, countering fake information, standing against racism and stigmatization, relying on scientific facts, confronting conspiracy theories, dealing with pseudoscience and denials, explaining statistics meaningfully, avoiding the temptation to trivialize and sensationalize, and using local languages.
There is a gross paucity of science communication researches in Nigeria and no research data exists on engagement in science communication between science and communication scholars in Nigeria. This gap necessitated this study. To gather data, we analyzed twelve departmental handbooks of six universities offering science and communication courses to determine the extent to which science communication was provided for in their curricula. We also conducted interviews with science and communication leaders in the selected twelve departments in the six universities to gauge their involvement in science communication. Some of the key findings were that both science and communication disciplines did not give science communication a commendable emphasis. Also, many academic leaders interviewed did not actually get involved in various science communication activities examined. Based on these findings, we conclude that science communication pedagogy, practice, and scholarship in Nigeria are very low. Therefore, it is recommended that science and communication scholars include more science communication courses into their academic curricula, and get more deeply involved in public and citizen science, media science, and virtual/online science communication efforts. These steps, it is believed, would help advance science communication in Nigeria.
13.9%) and toys/lego (32; 11.1%). Button batteries and magnets were ingested by 35 (12.2%). Liquids were ingested by 42 (13%), with the most common liquid ingested being liquitabs (8; 20%). Insertions accounted for 122 (44.4%) attendances, most commonly in a single nostril (72; 25.3%) or ear (39; 13.7%). Eight (3.7%) families were provided with advice on preventing recurrence of ingestion/insertion at discharge.The total number of aural/nasal insertions between 1st June-31st August 2020 was 59, compared to 65 in 2019. The insertion location and offending object were similar between years. Conclusions We demonstrated no change in frequency of aural/nasal insertions between 2019 and 2020, though comparison between years for ingestions was not possible. We have highlighted areas for improvement in communicating safety messages to families as part of a wider programme of discharge advice, and public health messaging. A significant minority had ingested very hazardous materials, and almost one-quarter required hospital admission or follow-up. These offer particular focus for strengthened messaging to reduce serious injury through prevention.
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