The coronavirus pandemic has been associated with an infodemic. Along with the infection, it has brought along fear, panic, anxiety, social discrimination and stigma of having the infection. Media is a double edged weapon, on one hand it has been instrumental in dissemination of useful information about the infection and on the other hand, it has been bombarding the common man with excessive, unscientific, irrelevant and unnecessary information which has created a sense of insecurity and hysteria in the general population. This review article brings out the social aspects associated with COVID 19 pandemic and emphasises upon the stigma associated with the disease and measures which can be adopted to combat this fear, frustration, anxiety, panic and mental effects associated with this viral infection.
Key words: Coronavirus, infodemic, stigma, discrimination, fear, panic
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