#COVID19: A Thread on the Danger of Small Town Stigma

Over the last few weeks, I have had the pleasure of watching #PEI report 0 (!) new #SARSCoV2 cases again and again — a feat that would not be possible w/o the tireless, coordinated efforts of Dr. Heather Morrison, @PEIGov, and my fellow socially-distanced islanders.

However, in saying this, there were certain behaviours that I witnessed that can be detrimental to #publichealth efforts. Social media is powerful — it connects us: from the daily media briefings that we all watched “together”, to sharing ideas to fend off boredom.

Unfortunately, social media can also pull us apart. In PEI, there are no strangers — posting identifying information online of those w presumed infection or those not practicing social distancing uncovers a dangerous side-effect of #COVID19 dx: #stigma.

Language is important. Rhetoric that is used to associate dx with shame insidiously pushes those who most need help to society’s periphery. The effects of this can be observed in the 80s/90s — the stigmatization of #HIV/ #AIDS lead to infections/deaths exploding in the USA.

(This same stigmatization is what delayed research/ #EBM [cheers, GRID!] and public policy — a common occurrence w diseases/conditions that predominantly affect marginalized populations)

Fear of reprisal deters those with possible infection from getting tested/seeking care, leading to inaccurate understanding of the disease burden w/i our communities and poorer outcomes.

When this stigma becomes intersected with factors historically known for worse health outcomes (SES, race, sex and gender, disability, etc.) people (your neighbours) suffer. Even more complicated: this occurring in tight-knit communities where anonymity isn’t possible.

#TogetherApart means being there for our most vulnerable Islanders. It means being in “this” for the long-haul. Day 22 of no new cases (and having all dx cases recovered) is an unparalleled feat demonstrating the accountability and perseverance of Islanders.

While purposely “breaking rules” can’t be condoned, before making a public post — reach out. Do your best to ensure individuals know what the rules are (privately), and, if possible, help them. If a choice is made to consciously ignore guidelines — report using proper channels.

I couldn’t be more proud of the way my home has handled unprecedented times, but hindsight is 2020 — reflection is paramount to growth.