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Resources for journalists

Reporters, are you ok? If you’re feeling traumatised, you’re not alone

Journalists have immersed themselves in the COVID-19 story for months. But at what cost to their mental health? A recent study found that three quarters of reporters surveyed felt significant emotional distress.

How to be a health reporter: Asking the right questions of research

Cochrane South Africa and the Medical Research Council explain how research studies are designed and which are best to use in your reporting.

‘The toughest story I’ve covered’: How COVID-19 changed journalism

Three journalists and a scientist unpack how the coronavirus pandemic changed their jobs and the news landscape. Watch the discussion here.

Vaccines, mutations and data: Reporters, all your COVID-19 questions answered

Cochrane South Africa answers health reporters’ COVID questions in the fourth installment of their evidence-informed health media reporting webinar series.

Seeing the forest for the trees with Cochrane South Africa: Forest plots and systematic...

A gentle introduction to forest plots and systematic reviews. Courtesy of Cochrane South Africa and the South African Medical Research Council.
Epidemiology 101: free online course for Africa-based journalists

Want to do a crash course in epidemiology? Here you go

Recordings and slides from the epidemiology 101 course for Africa-based journalists — Tools to navigate medical research and critically report on COVID-19.

Struggling with reporting on COVID-19? This free course will help

Epidemiology 101 is a tailor-made course for journalists presented by world-renowned epidemiologists and scientists.

Here’s a really great way to find the studies you’re looking for

Finding it hard to narrow down searches for journal studies you’d like to reference in your stories? Our friends from Cochrane South Africa and the South African Medical Research Council taught us how to use the PICO method.