Beyond the myriad of benefits of living on this gorgeous Mediterranean island, one of the occasional drawbacks is that the scorching summer heat reaches record-high levels and the country literally becomes too hot to handle. Thankfully, this week, Malta Daily has set out on a mission to spread kindness and good vibes (and loads of other goodies!) across the island.
After weeks upon weeks of fight videos circulating on social media, we thought it was about time that everyone chills out, which is why Andrew and the team took to Sliema’ beaches to give out some delicious ice-creams provided by one of our partners, Sammontana.
Receiving a free ice-cream is always a plus, but receiving it on the beach on a hot Maltese summer’s day is more than enough to incentivise someone to spread the kindness. So take that message home; understand that any single one of us may be going through a though day, week or period and it only takes a little effort and enthusiasm to make their days better.
Next time you’re having a bad dat, pay it forward and spread the kindness in the best way you can. You never know, someone might approach you with an act of kindness of their own.
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The truth on the ground is many people are not trained to assess academic and scientific journals. And the Internet, riddled with thousands of websites, can lead one down very conspiratorial rabbit holes. A lot of people are simply scared and unsure because of the massive amounts of information bombarding them from every angle.
The vaccines work – transmission rates have dropped amongst those vaccinated but remained relatively concerning among unvaccinated. The jab reduces hospitalisation rates and even deaths. The dangers of a virus which invades one’s respiratory system
But misinformation spreads – often with an agenda. More than 60% of vaccine misinformation is distributed by just 12 high profile personalities (called the Disinformation Dozen). It is crucial not to demonise anyone who is just hesitant about vaccination – the pandemic should truly become an opportunity to come together and protect each other.
When assessing information, keeping in mind certain flaws in thinking is crucial. First, there is confirmation bias. When one is leaning towards certain ideas, it is very easy to find sources of information to solidify pre-existing beliefs. Science, however, seeks to prove its hypothesis wrong before moving forward. This brings us to the next tool: research.
‘Doing my research’ is often a slogan wielded by both parties – whether it is in favour or against vaccination. It is important that the research does not stop at one influencer or contrarian ‘expert.’ Trace back the information to the original sources, assess whether the publishers have had papers retracted and cross reference.
It is also immensely important to keep in mind that the scientific enterprise is NOT out to get you. This does not mean that large world-spanning companies are infallible and do no wrong. But confusing actual corruption and conspiracies with the idea that all scientists are out to get you diminishes the genuine strive to discover and help humanity.
Finally, we must remember we are all facing this pandemic together. We are all tired and exhausted, but it is crucial not to end up at each other’s throats. The vaccination programme is helping – fear mongering the other side will not help. When it comes to pushing for vaccination, science communication and understanding are crucial.
#MaltaDaily
