'Stay home and stay safe … but maybe you can have somebody over': public perceptions of official COVID-19 messages during the 2020 holiday season in Canada.
S Michelle DriedgerRyan MaierJordan Lee TustinCynthia G JardineS Michelle DriedgerPublished in: Journal of communication in healthcare (2022)
Official public health messaging intended to mitigate harm in rapidly evolving crisis situations can be ineffective in reducing risky behaviors because it may instead encourage people to not abide the recommended guidelines. In these situations, harm reduction messaging should be limited to specific groups who cannot otherwise avoid risk exposure.