I am struggling to understand why @Wazemaradio is criticized for reporting a key aspect of government scenario analysis regarding the #COVID19Ethiopia COVID19Ethiopia. 1) There is no question regarding the authenticity of the document. Period! /1

2) The main trust of the criticism is largely very subjective unsubstantiated fear that the information can cause widespread panic. @Wazemaradio considered this before publishing the water down version of the story. Such decisions strive to balance between two interests. /2

Two interests: (a) the public interest that will/can be served and (b) avoiding/minimizing unintended harmful consequence(s) that may be triggered/caused by the publication of the story. The story as presented perfectly passes these parameters. /3

The pubic has the right to know what kind of technical, social, economic & political considerations are informing government policies and actions. Ideally,the govt epidemiologists,experts were supposed to come out to provide the public with their professional assessment daily. /4

Fearing the possibility of widespread panic is a legitimate starting point, but NOT an evidence to anything related. Proof if you can:(a) the story is not accurate, (b)a panic that causes harm is emerged, and (c) demonstrate a causal link with this/such accurate report. /5

If we stretch this argument, a weather forecast shouldn’t tell the public about the possibility of a deadly storm or lighting because it may create ‘panic’. After all, meteorologists know that a level of shock, panic is what exactly lead people to act BEFORE the storm hits. tnx.