A vaccine for Covid-19 does not yet exist, but that has not stopped people from spreading disinformation about it in advance.  The anti-vaxxers’ movement has been active for years, and a previous article about it by EAVI can be found here. The article stated that the core of this movement relies on conspiracy, cherry-picking information and experts, impossible expectations, and illogical fallacies. Additionally, once someone’s mind is made up, it is nearly impossible to change. The measles outbreaks in Europe and the United States caused by increasing numbers of unvaccinated children is a worrisome foreshadow [...]

Traditional contact tracing is when an infected individual provides information concerning their clinical history and recent contacts. These contacts are then called to monitor their own conditions and/or to self isolate. Contacts include friends, family members, colleagues.

  Around the world, people clap and cheer for healthcare workers. Other previously unsung heroes, including garbage collectors, grocery store employees, and delivery workers have received their own line of action figures, and Google has even used its doodle to draw attention to the importance of these workers. However, what is often left out is just how many of these workers are migrants. When it comes to the negative aspects of migration, people overestimate. According to a poll by The Guardian, one quarter of French respondents believe migrants receive twice as much government aid as [...]

While the world is trying to deal with Covid-19, the difference between democratic and authoritarian rulers is getting more visible. The democratic countries are often trying their best to overcome the crisis with the least harm on human life and economy while most of the authoritarian leaders are trying to obtain more powers by using Covid-19 as an excuse. And the media is playing one of the leading roles in this case.  There are many examples that can be given about how such leaders responded to Covid-19. For instance, the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán [...]

Lately, it seems every news story, every advertisement, and every talk show is exclusively concerned about Covid-19. Meanwhile, migration to Europe - the subject once in the media spotlight and the driver behind major decisions such as Brexit - has been left out of the news for months. Such a trend begs the question - to what extent was Europe’s immigration ‘crisis’ really a crisis? The Agenda-Setting Theory by McCombs and Shaw states that when the news gives particular importance to a topic, the public will perceive it as the most important. The news, in [...]

At EAVI, we aim to support and promote the interests of citizens all over the world, regardless of their nationality. We observe that some political and commercial entities are not compatible with citizens’ interests, yet disguise themselves as if they are. As if they think that it is easier to get a vote from or sell a product to an uninformed citizen. It is imperative that citizens all over the world consider which actors may desire to influence their opinions, understandings, and memories of life, including during the coronavirus. We also notice for example, the [...]

We have heard of many stories about Covid and its consequences: did the US start the coronavirus, and is the EU failing to support and falling apart? Is the virus a weapon against China, or is the whole crisis created by the global elite?  All of these claims and speculations are often false or at least inaccurate, but have been widely circulating the internet for weeks. The virus has brought forth a wave of misinformation that is rapidly gaining traction on social media. The above claims are only the most widely spread of the thousands [...]

In one way or another, Covid-19 has affected us all. Whether infected by the disease or not, the economic insecurity, layoffs, border closures, lockdown orders, and general sense of unease have swept the globe in a matter of weeks. Now more than ever, people desire strong, stable leadership. And now more than ever, the EU is being criticized for its lack of action. However, this criticism is irrelevant if it is not based on facts. So, the team at EAVI has put together this article to better explain the sentiments, the limitations, and the truth [...]

Physically, economically, mentally, socially - the coronavirus has been a nightmare. For the approximately 250 million people living abroad, the question of repatriation based on the ever-fluctuating news coverage has made media literacy crucial.  Following the news that the coronavirus was rapidly spreading throughout the United States, I was not at all shocked that my parents called me in a state of panic. What did surprise me, however, was that they begged me to return home. At the time, Belgium was on lockdown, and President Trump was still downplaying the virus. Today, Belgium is still [...]

If the news is to be believed, Covid-19 is closing in on Europe.    And the trouble is, I can’t decide how to feel about it. I’ve done the maths, myself and everyone I know will probably survive. So I’m not immediately afraid of the virus.    To be honest, I’m watching the news right now as though it’s the introduction to a post-apocalyptic motive. After the compelling viewing that was the Brexit drama, I needed a new fix to feed my news-junkie habit, and here it came. 84-year old man with existing health complications dies of [...]