The print press and its politicization of public health: The case of COVID-19

Abstract

This article is interested in the ways in which a serious public health issue, the COVID-19 pandemic, was used to categorize and reconfigure sections of the British citizenry into conformists and deviants. In constructing these categories, the print press was utilizing specific labels to identify those who were sceptical and noncompliant of preventative health strategies. Scepticism of Covid policy was reported along political lines, distinguishing between right-leaning conspiracy theorists who pose threats to health and safety, and those sceptics who were simply without access to accurate information and guidance. In its claims-making activity, the print media was portraying some concerns as more legitimate than other equally significant social issues. The politicization of a biological vector is not without serious implications for public health communication and, ultimately, compliance with disease preventative measures.