Short Communication
Year: 2020 | Month: July | Volume: 7 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 443-454
Librarians’ Use of Social Media in Disseminating Health Information on COVID-19
Agim Eliezer Chukwuyere1, Oraekwe Ifeoma Nwanneka2, Chivuzo Cyprainmary Chukwudebelu3, Emenari Beatrice Chidiebere4
1Polytechnic Librarian, Sure foundation polytechnic Akwaibom Nigeria
2Lecturer, Department of Library and Information Science, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra state
3Lecturer, Department of Library and Information Science, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Anambra state
4Senior Librarian, Alex Ekwueme Library, Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra state
Corresponding Author: Agim Eliezer Chukwuyere
ABSTRACT
Due to the high rate of transmission of the Covid 19, it is evidenced that people in rural and urban areas have not been properly informed about this scourge. Illiteracy may have formed part of the problems for them to access the social media tools that contain information disseminated on Covid 19. Fake information on social media has dominated the social space with its attendant conspiracy theories. This has provided conflicting believes about this pandemic. This, therefore, has provided a gap for the librarians to fill. This theoretical paper assesses the librarians’ use of social media in disseminating health information on Covid 19. The paper using updated and relevant literatures, gave concepts for social media, health information, dissemination/ information dissemination, and Coronavirus disease (Covid 19). The paper discussed the librarians’ use of social media trusted sources to disseminate Covid 19 information. The paper also x-rayed the social media used by librarians for Covid 19 information dissemination. The paper further discussed the problems of librarians’ use of social media in dissemination of Covid 19 health information. Conclusion was that in this information age, public health awareness is key to minimize causalities, and librarians can play a vital role to disseminate this information with health care workers, society, and communities by utilizing effective social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Whatsapp, 2go, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, among others to educate people on maintaining preventive measures during the lockdown phase. The paper recommended that librarians in all institutions should be motivated by means of enhanced packages to cover cost for subscription and other social media tools that will boast their dissemination of health information on Covid 19 to the people
Keywords: Librarian, Social media, Dissemination, Health information, Covid 19
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