Minister: COVID-19 pandemic can be managed through shaping public opinion

COVID-19 pandemic is a social issue which can be managed and addressed through shaping public and social opinion appropriately, said the Iranian minister of culture and Islamic guidance.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of the Information Committee of the National Task Force for Fighting Coronavirus on Monday, Abbas Salehi added since the outbreak of the pandemic in Iran in late February, the country’s media have played a significant role in efforts to curb the spread of the virus through providing people with accurate and up-to-date information, IRNA reported.

He noted that since the start of the crisis, the domestic media have had a remarkable share of efforts to transfer information and satiate the public opinion as well as the widespread social participation in the fight against the virus.

The minister stressed that in coming days, the media can have a very important role in the battle against the coronavirus through providing related information and promoting the appropriate culture.

Under the present circumstances where the country is grappling with the spread of the virus and constantly compared to other states in terms of response to the pandemic, “we are required to display our cultural capability and national power through fighting the virus”, he said.

Since the beginning of the previous week, when the enforcement of stricter anti-COVID measures began in Iran, the people of the country have shown that they will offer maximum cooperation when they feel the necessity to accompany the government, Salehi ‎added.

The minister also appreciated efforts by the domestic media to cover news about the coronavirus spread in the country and the world and provide people with accurate and up-to-date information since the beginning of the pandemic in Iran.