How ‘cocooning’ as a public health measure was reported during the Covid-19 crisis

This paper explores the nature of newspaper coverage of ‘cocooning’ as a public health measure at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland in 2020. The study, which focuses on coverage in The Irish Times, shows that the number of human-interest-framed articles on cocooning was approximately four times greater than the number of informative ones. This suggests that the proportion of human-interest and emotive stories diluted the volume of informative articles. The findings also point to an absence of significant official voices in the coverage of cocooning, such as key ministerial figures, which may have contributed to knowledge gaps. There was also a discernible gender bias, not just in experts quoted but also in the journalists who wrote news and feature articles. The study offers important lessons for government communication strategies in how important public information is provided to target groups.