1. Proper capitalization and abbreviation – In your COVID-19 virus communications, do you capitalize the “c” in coronavirus? It depends. My Apple iPhone’s autocorrect feature does. But, not everyone capitalizes the term. For instance, the esteemed “Washington Post” and “New York Times” newspapers don’t. Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty, reasons that you capitalize the words for diseases named after regions or people only (e.g., Ebola, Alzheimer’s).
Publications or organizations may have their own in-house guidelines on how to refer to the virus. “The Associated Press Stylebook” and “The Chicago Manual of Style” are popular guides. The AP refers to the virus as COVID-19, which, they reason, is in line with references to the SARS and MERS viruses. It also believes that “COVID-19 virus” is proper shorthand rather than “a new virus called COVID-19.”
2. Terminology – In your COVID-19 virus communications, is the coronavirus outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic? Is it a disease or a virus? Grammar Girl believes the issue of whether it’s an epidemic or a pandemic is subjective, but leans toward the latter. Regarding the type of illness, she defers to the World Health Organization (WHO), which describes it as “coronavirus disease,” while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) call it “coronavirus disease 2019.”
For Search Engine Optimization (SEO) purposes, as this article attests, if you write about it, you may want to refer to “the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)” to distinguish it from other coronaviruses. The article offers more advice on using specific virus-related keywords in your online publications.
3. Tone – For the most part, if possible, strive for a friendly and upbeat tone, and in more serious situations, remain neutral while you stick to the facts. Focusing on the negative can lead to sensationalism, especially in your COVID-19 virus communications. The mass media sometimes goes to the extreme, which attracts attention and sells ads. As a result, some people can become agitated and fearful; others may see the dramatization as hype and disregard it. Yes, it’s helpful to inform, but not to exaggerate details for effect. It’s better to broadcast with a balanced viewpoint.
4. Humor – The phrase “going viral” has now taken on more than one meaning. Many of us don’t want to offend our readers — doing so not only affects a business or organization and its reputation, but it’s not nice. Whether to make light of life during a pandemic if you’re not a comedian or a satirist is a tough call. To some people, it’s inappropriate. It depends on your audience, how well you know them, and the context. In all cases, use your best judgment. When in doubt, leave it out.
5. Promoting during a crisis – I’m running into this issue. If you advertise a product or service that’s helpful or necessary during this pandemic, some may see that as trying to capitalize on the crisis. To me, it’s only inappropriate if it’s blatant, like if your fundraiser won’t donate to those in need as a result of the pandemic, or if you’re raising the price of toilet paper and other necessities. Wish people well, note that it’s a challenging time, and tell them how you’re handling the situation while you inform them about how you can still help them.
Which challenges have you faced in your coronavirus communications? Feel free to comment below.
Quotes
“Referring to it as the COVID-19 virus is a shorthand akin to referring to the virus that causes AIDS as the AIDS virus, which we and others have done for years. Or, think of it this way: I might refer to the big cat, but I wouldn’t say the cat called Big.” ~ The Associated Press, “Ask the Editor”
“Much like HIV is the name of the virus that causes AIDS, SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.” ~ Grammar Girl (Mignon Fogarty)
Comments? Suggestions? Need help with your COVID-19 virus communications? Contact me.
Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com
