ECDC workshop strengthens infodemic management capacity
Communication and public health experts from across the EU’s Eastern and Southern Neighbourhood gathered from 19-20 February 2025 in Djerba, Tunisia for a workshop on infodemic management during infectious disease outbreaks.
The two-day event, funded by the EU Initiative on Health Security, focused on equipping participants with practical tools and strategies to detect, track, and address false information and information voids that can undermine public health responses.
Overwhelming amounts of true and false information during health emergencies can hinder public trust and decision-making. Effective infodemic management has become a critical component of public health preparedness in light of recent global challenges—including the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging infectious disease outbreaks such as Mpox.
Key topics and interactive learning
The workshop covered a range of topics, including:
- Detecting and monitoring prevalent narratives through social listening and data analysis;
- Understanding psychological and social drivers of false information;
- Developing evidence-based response strategies to address false narratives;
- Building national infodemic management plans to enhance future preparedness.
Participants engaged in interactive breakout activities, analysing infodemic scenarios, assessing their risks, and designing targeted interventions. Exercises also explored the role of cross-sector collaboration, with discussions on how public health authorities, media, and civil society can work together to strengthen resilience against false information.
Addressing false information in a digital age
Given the increasing spread of health-related false information on social media and digital platforms, a key focus of the workshop was leveraging technology and community engagement to improve public health communication. Participants explored strategies to counter false information in real-time, using case studies from previous outbreaks to identify effective approaches.
Next steps in strengthening health security
As the workshop concluded, attendees shared key takeaways and discussed next steps in applying the strategies learned to their national contexts. ECDC extends its gratitude to the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases in Tunisia for their outstanding efforts in co-organising this workshop. Moving forward, ECDC remains committed to supporting its partners in strengthening infodemic preparedness, ensuring that accurate, science-based health information reaches communities swiftly and effectively.
EU Initiative on Health Security
This initiative aims to enhance regional cooperation to tackle cross-border health security threats in EU candidate and potential candidates countries and European Neighbourhood Policy partner countries.