COVID-19, online shaming, and health-care professionals

Stigma and shame have been features of past pandemics. The stigma associated with disease can be experienced as by those who spread it. In almost all human cultures, there is attached to being “contaminated”, the vulnerability inherent in illness, potentially spreading a others. As previous pandemics taught us, coming into contact with, or highly infectious deadly has social consequences. Hence, it no surprise that developed around COVID-19. Although outpourings support admiration for health-care workers their dedicated service this pandemic, health professionals also among directly affected shaming practices. epidemics, shunned, feared, treated suspicion. Doctors on HIV wards UK during 1990s, example, described how anxieties “contamination” led colleagues other specialties stigmatise work devalued shameful. an outbreak Ebola virus Uganda 2000–01, one nurse heartbreakingly recalled: “Our clothes were burned, our children kept away from families shunned us afraid us.” Health-care front line COVID-19 response similarly shamed, sometimes leading violence abuse. fear contamination SARS-CoV-2 nurses attacked street; care verbally abused supermarkets; paramedics evicted homes. Worldwide, doctors shamed bullied refusing without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), while wartime rhetoric deployed some politicians set up pernicious expectations sacrifice professionals. What seems apart earlier events extent fuelled media use. Online outrage pandemic channelled fears uncertainties about frustrations disruptive public measures put place control Unfortunately, doctors, along workers, become targets online pile-ons. Among subjected 2020 Chris Higgins, Australian general practitioner, Jean-Robert Ngola, physician worked at time New Brunswick, Canada. Higgins had continued see his patients Melbourne practice he what thought was mild cold after trip USA, before tested positive SARS-CoV-2. Ngola did not initially self-isolate return crossing border Quebec (he said rules clear following same practices people him) accused violating Brunswick Emergency Measures Act. Such cases occurred context global medical cultures overwork, which may expected go when they are unwell feel pressured if take off. Both physicians singled out although mentioned name, local news sources accounts identified them, shaming. Ngola's further inflected racist vitriol. Charges against breaching provincial Act eventually withdrawn 2021, but these underscored precarious status racialised doctor. UK, elsewhere, directed shifted its focus throughout discrediting them witnesses. Shortly appearance BBC's television programme Question Time January, palliative doctor writer Rachel Clarke tweeted day's number deaths, swiftly followed pre-emptive message: “And deluge abuse begins, don’t bother. I am seeing poor beings final days, hours moments life. it—day day day—and it's utterly, horribly heartbreaking.” harassed, threatened sceptics continue allege hoax party deception fool mislead public. reasons appear substantively different. Rather than targeting falling short inhuman infallibility routinely imposed referred Clarke's Tweet towards seeing, witnessing, saying toll Public used square, where members one's immediate community would mete judgment punishment moral transgressions. From newspapers, television, nowadays moved primarily internet. This move arena merely shift medium It creates whole new conditions occurrence. internet, domain ample opportunity anonymity, lacks geography temporality sites philosopher Bonnie Mann relation gender-based shaming, “scene shame” changed dramatically unbounded space time, follow individual everywhere indefinitely. Shaming transformed something fleeting permanent record real alleged mistake transgression: “digital scarlet letter”, Dean Levmore Martha Nussbaum describe way, amplify minor transgression major life-changing incident. generate vitriol, abuse, hate entirely false accusation, nonetheless reputational damage harm. While usually stems two primary motivations, rectification (righting perceived wrong) cruelty (revenge, degradation, attack reasons), means mutually exclusive. target individuals actions deemed “undesirable” “unacceptable” involve cruel order personally “punish” transgression. These dynamics increasingly intruding lives A rapidly attacks character, family, reputation, livelihood, occasion threats death. 2020, resurgence hashtag #NoToDoctorShaming Twitter highlighted problem often held superhuman standards demand infallibility. Common occurrences, such making mistakes, sick, needing sleep, displaying emotion could potential opportunities Working medicine, blamed, responsible, system-wide problems staff shortages, appointment times, insufficient bed space, PPE long waiting lists, limited treatment options. pressures compounded emotional physical strain comes working having high caseloads, exacerbated crisis. Because place, scale, effects unpredictable: dissipate quickly ill effects; lead backlash; result pile-on devastating long-lasting effects. change, more likely negative consequences defensiveness, anxiety, withdrawal, adverse mental health. testimonies victims suggest, unemployment, damage, compromised intimate relationships. exacerbate exist settings. Research shown reported feelings blamed workplaces reporting error importance moving blame culture restorative learning. Additionally, highlights broader commonplace sphere. recipients others political tool. practitioners expressed using voices to, things, highlight policy call account responsible. Yet nature even “good” uses unexpected impacts. unpredictable. We never sure will land have. informed essay funded part Wellcome Trust (217879/Z/19/Z) supported Arts Humanities Council, grant AH/V013483/1.