• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Health Writer Hub

Health Writer Hub

Medical Writing Courses & Certification

  • COURSES
    • FREE COURSE
    • HOW TO WRITE PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS
    • ADVANCED AI WRITING STRATEGIES
    • HOW TO CREATE A MEDICAL WRITING PORTFOLIO
    • BREAKING INTO HEALTH WRITING
    • HOW TO BECOME A FREELANCE HEALTH WRITER
    • PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH & MEDICAL EDITING
    • INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL WRITING AND AI
    • INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH WRITING
    • PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH & MEDICAL COPYWRITING
  • BUNDLE & SAVE
  • COURSE FINDER
  • MASTERCLASS
  • TOOLS
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT
    • CPD
    • CONTACT
    • REVIEWS

6 tips to help you write clearly about COVID-19

To alleviate pandemic-related anxiety, aim to provide clear, factual communication that supports health literacy.

LAST UPDATED: November 4, 2024 | AUTHOR: Michelle Guillemard

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world created and shared health content daily. But the pandemic undoubtedly increased the volume of health content – and misinformation – on the web.

To avoid sharing misinformation, health writers must provide good-quality information. Accuracy is, of course, a key component of quality health content.

Accurate information supports health literacy and behaviour change – and, it also helps reduce the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Black Dog Institute. They argue that misinformation, rumours, myths and alarmist content fuel stress, fear and panic.

So, to alleviate pandemic-related anxiety, aim to provide clear, factual communication that supports health literacy. Here are six tips to help you write clearly about COVID-19.

1. Clearly define unfamiliar COVID-19 medical terms

Think of the words and phrases that could be unfamiliar to your target audience and define them before using them in a sentence. To determine which terms are unfamiliar, you’ll need to research your target audience and gather your requirements in detail.

The clearest way to define an unfamiliar medical term is to define the term first, then use it in a sentence.

  • CORRECT: The time after exposure and before having symptoms is called the incubation period. The average incubation period for COVID-19 is 4.9 – 7 days.

Sometimes, you may not be able to define the term before using it in a sentence. While it’s best to define the term first, including a definition in the second sentence is better than not including a definition.

  • EXAMPLE: The average incubation period for COVID-19 is 4.9 – 7 days. The incubation period is the time after exposure and before having symptoms.
COURSE OUTLINE: PEM: LOCATION: BLOG POSTS

Learn how to write engaging patient education materials

Our How to Write Patient Education Materials course will teach you how to create impactful health content that truly engages and educates your readers.

In just three weeks, you will learn how to write explainer content about health topics, medications, treatments and procedures.

Enter your email for a free course outline!

You'll also join 22,000+ others who receive our regular emails. Opt out at any time. View our Terms and Privacy Policy.

2. Differentiate between similar-sounding terms

Many pandemic-related terms sound similar and can confuse your readers when misused. An essential aspect of writing clearly about COVID-19 is differentiating between common terms to avoid confusion. Here are just some of the many similar-sounding terms you may need to define or explain:

  • Restrictions and measures
  • Physical distancing and social distancing
  • Quarantine and isolation
  • Lockdown and self-isolate
  • Medication and vaccination.

3. Use key terms consistently

One of the fundamental rules of medical writing in plain English is to use consistent key terms. Decide whether you’re going to use the term COVID-19 or coronavirus, for example. If you go with COVID-19, make sure your capitalisation is consistent.

Using consistent key terms is important as it alleviates confusion. For example, if you use the terms physician, health professional, doctor and GP interchangeably, your readers may think you’re referring to different people.

Tip: SEO best practices tell us to use a range of synonyms for Google, but there’s a balance between substituting terms for variety and confusing your readers.
<

4. Define acronyms

Most abbreviations and acronyms need defining, except the ones you can assume everyone understands. For example, writing “Cable News Network (CNN)” is unnecessary. But your readers may not know what PPE or AZD1222 vaccine mean.

The correct way to use an acronym is to spell it out in full at first reference, then include the abbreviation in parentheses. You can then use the abbreviated term throughout your content.

  • CORRECT: Personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • INCORRECT: PPE (personal protective equipment)
  • INCORRECT (no need to capitalise every word): Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Tip: You don’t have to place an abbreviated term in parentheses if you’re not going to refer to it in your content.

5. Careful of redundancy

Redundancy is when your words and phrases repeat information unnecessarily. These extra words can confuse your readers and make sentences longer, contributing to poor readability.

Here are some examples:

  • Global pandemic: Global is unnecessary as a pandemic is, by definition, global or affecting multiple countries
  • COVID-19 virus: As COVID-19 stands for coronavirus disease 2019, virus is unnecessary
  • A total of 30,000 people: A total of is unnecessary.

Watch out for general redundant words and expressions, like:

  • First and foremost
  • My own opinion
  • Past experience
  • Exactly the same.

6. Convey factual information

If your writing feels too emotional or threat-based, readers become anxious and may not understand. A review of media dramatisation of the H1N1 pandemic suggested that news content stressed threat-based information over accurate and factual information, creating artificial hype or hysteria around the new virus.

To avoid confusion and alleviate pandemic-related anxiety, focus on providing:

  • Accurate information about the signs, symptoms, risk factors
  • Information on how to effectively prevent or control the disease

Practical, actionable information gives your readers a sense of control and reduces confusion.

Bonus tip: Don’t forget to follow the best practices of clear communication

To write clearly about COVID-19 or any public health issue, read our short guide to the best practices of health communication and responsible reporting.

More and more people are reading about how viruses spread, how to prevent diseases and how vaccinations work. By providing good-quality information, we can help our readers make informed choices and create better health outcomes.

Print this page

Filed Under: Health writing, Patient education

About Michelle Guillemard

Michelle Guillemard is the founder of Health Writer Hub, the Past President of the Australasian Medical Writers Association and a freelance medical writer. Blogging about health & medical writing since 2012, Michelle teaches health writing courses and workshops to students and corporations around the world. Michelle is passionate about creating better health outcomes and changing lives through effective health communication. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

 
health copywriting course

Health Writing Template Package

My Health Writing Template Package contains 30+ templates to get you writing high-quality, professional health content.

VIEW DETAILS
health copywriting course

110 Websites That Accept Health Article Pitches for Writers

Gain access to a curated list of 110 trusted health publications actively seeking fresh content. Each entry includes the publication’s focus and submission guidelines, ensuring you’re prepared to make a lasting impression.

VIEW DETAILS

Primary Sidebar

About Michelle Guillemard

Michelle Guillemard is the founder of Health Writer Hub and a seasoned health & medical writer with 20 years of experience. She has taught thousands of writers across 50+ countries, empowering them to create high-quality health content that drives behaviour change and improves public health. As an advocate for AI in health writing, Michelle helps writers stay productive and future-proof their skills.

VIEW MORE

health career guide

The Health & Medical Writing Career Kickstart Guide

Your roadmap to a flexible, fulfilling and financially rewarding writing career

VIEW DETAILS
health copywriting course

Health Writing Template Package

My Health Writing Template Package contains 30+ templates to get you writing high-quality, professional health content.

VIEW DETAILS
health copywriting course

110 Websites That Accept Health Article Pitches for Writers

Gain access to a curated list of 110 trusted health publications actively seeking fresh content. Each entry includes the publication’s focus and submission guidelines, ensuring you’re prepared to make a lasting impression.

VIEW DETAILS
health writing course

How to Write Patient Education Materials

Create compelling healthcare copy for health & medical brands and businesses. Learn an evidence-based approach to persuasive writing and gain exclusive industry insights.

VIEW DETAILS

MOST POPULAR



How to find freelance medical writing work

How to find an entry-level medical writing job

How to build your health writing portfolio

How to write a winning article pitch


EXPLORE TOPICS



Building a medical writing portfolio

Freelance health & medical writing

Getting started in health writing

Health & medical copywriting

Health & medical editing

Health writing

Medical writing and AI

Patient education

Get a personalised course recommendation. Take the 2-minute quiz to find your perfect medical writing course.

GET YOUR COURSE RECOMMENDATION

Footer

Get the latest health writing advice and course news.

Opt out at any time.

SUPPORT

Contact
FAQ
Payment
Disclaimer
Terms
Refunds

ABOUT

About
Reviews
CPD and accreditation
Subscribe

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Courses

Health communication courses for health professionals
Freelance writing
Medical copywriting
Medical editing
Breaking into health writing
View all courses

Health Writer Hub © 2025. All Rights Reserved. I acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where I live, learn and work.