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A pandemic is a pretty confusing situation at the best of times – and that’s without having to rely on information that’s unreliable or just plain wrong. We’re not talking about deliberate misinformation here, although there’s certainly been enough of that. Rather, we’re thinking of fallacies that can easily colour our interpretation of events, and occasionally lead us to incorrect conclusions about the COVID situation. Rachael L. Brown takes us through three types of COVID-related fallacy that were rife this year, and how to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
First, don’t criticise lockdowns or public health measures without first considering the potential impact of not locking down. Second, don’t set too much store by headline numbers such as daily new case rates – they could be concealing a much more complex situation. And third, when case numbers spike, it can be tempting to automatically blame public health officials or point the finger at ‘covidiots’. But sometimes local outbreaks are just down to chance factors and plain old bad luck. And speaking of luck, here’s wishing the whole world the best of good fortune in getting on top of the pandemic in 2021.
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Michael Hopkin
Editor, Science + Technology, Health + Medicine
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Dean Lewins/AAP Image
Rachael L. Brown, Australian National University
From failing to consider the costs of not locking down, to underestimating the role of dumb luck in a pandemic, here are some critical thinking mistakes not to repeat in 2021.
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RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA
Joseph M. Cheer, Wakayama University; Colin Michael Hall, University of Canterbury; Jarkko Saarinen, University of Oulu
A vaccine may be the magic bullet, but getting travellers back in the skies will require much more — including convincing people that travel is safe again.
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Shutterstock
Joanne Dickson, Edith Cowan University
When setting a new year's goals, look closely at the reasoning behind it. Is it something you want to do, or think you should? The answer can help predict the outcome.
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James Ross/AAP
Alison Young, University of Melbourne
From coronavirus to climate change and the Black Lives Matter movement, street artists expressed their views on the walls and in the parks and laneways of Australia in 2020.
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Shutterstock
Cameron Webb, University of Sydney
Summer can bring out the bugs. Here's what to do if you miss a spot when applying insect repellent.
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Rhizanthella speciosa from Barrington Tops.
Mark Clements, CSIRO
What blooms underground and smells like vanilla? The answer is an underground orchid, and I never expected to see one, let alone have the privilege of working on them.
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Unsplash/Juan Di Nella
Jessica Gildersleeve, University of Southern Queensland
Summer is the time for road trips — and books that can take you on a journey of discovery.
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DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAP
Catherine Bennett, Deakin University
Just because you can go to a Sydney New Year's party, it doesn't mean you should.
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