Using ‘memes’ to promote social distancing and containment measures against covid-19

Abstract

Since deforestation grows in large steps, it is expected that the environmental imbalance will affect human beings. However, today humanity is plagued by a global epidemic of COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, of the genus Betacoronavirus, mainly affects the respiratory organs, and its transmission is linked to contact, droplets and aerosols produced by speech and breathing. However, a large number of cases of transmission of the disease are more related to misinformation about the containment measures instituted by the government, and the problem could be solved through the dissemination of far-reaching information materials. Several studies have shown that since 2021, cases of Covid-19 have increased among adolescents and young people. Thus, it is necessary to develop forms of communication that reach this audience. One of these means consists of memes, which became popular as messages with an ironic or comic tone that circulated widely on social networks. In this way, the present study aimed to make posters based on the most popular memes in order to inform and prevent the forms of contagion and infection of COVID-19. The educational material was developed in the microbiology subject of the Licentiate in Biological Sciences course, and consisted of research on social networks and the internet for memes that could be adapted for the desired purpose, with the intention of being used in elementary and secondary schools, considering that even with the reduction in cases of Covid-19, preventive measures are still necessary. With these social communication tools, it is possible to observe a greater reach in the dissemination of the intended information, which can be more easily disseminated both on the internet, through social networks and even in person, since the use of this type of media draws the attention mainly of adolescents and young people. Another important factor is that preventive measures against Covid-19 help control other diseases in the school environment, such as flu and rotavirus.