Navigating the science, the myths and the realities of COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

As the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection spread to pandemic levels in March 2020, there was an immediate impact on academic activities, including the dissemination of new information which was normally presented through academic meetings such as in-person continuing education sessions. Campus and social lockdowns led to an abrupt move in the tools used for the transmission and dissemination of evidence-based facts. The truncated social interactions involving students, staff and practitioners led to a greater reliance on social media. Social media presented a cacophony of science, myths and realities. A solution to this academically challenging situation comprising the presentation and interpretation of data, complicated with the publication of pre-prints, was through the organization of webinars intended for the sharing of experience.