Getting the message right

We have known for some time that simply telling people about a health risk is often not enough to motivate people to take preventive action. This is particularly true of COVID-19, a virus which scientists are desperately trying to know more about. Informing us that we should be practicing good hand hygiene and social distancing behaviours by staying two metres apart from each other, is sound advice and is specific and achievable. But we also need to know why this is important and how we can do this effectively over a sustained period of time. We need to know these measures are important for ourselves and protecting those most at risk around us.