From The Straits Times    |
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wei-man-kow-viral-comic-covid19

Comics are a useful medium for public health communication, and should not be overlooked as a way to spread critical information in a pandemic. Not everyone has the time to go through elaborate medical journals on Covid-19. So I simplified the information into a comic that can be easily understood by the young and old.

The comic explains how coronaviruses spread and what precautions people can take to stay safe. While I did my research, fact-checking is important. I asked my friends who’re doctors to vet my work. I began working on my comics in January, when I was down with fever and a persistent cough. I had time to research and create the comic in January while on a month’s medical leave.

I took less than a week to come up with the first infocomic on Covid-19. I posted the comic on my social media accounts and it went viral internationally. It gave me the idea to create more useful Covid-related comics. I spent about another month and a half to work the rest of the comics. Many international organisations like the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico in the United States have reached out to me to help translate the text into different languages for their communities. The comics are now available in over 40 languages.

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I’m grateful to hear that the comics have helped parents and teachers in China and Indonesia explain Covid-19 to kids, and also encouraged them to wash their hands regularly. I recently worked with a senior doctor to create an updated version of the comic that went viral (How Covid-19 Spreads). This version includes new findings and precautions. It’s available on www.comicsforgood.

I’m currently working with my volunteers to revamp the Comics For Good site to collect and showcase informative comics on social good issues by a variety of artists, so that the public can find easy-to-digest information on various social issues. I want to use art to spread awareness on Covid-19, and I hope more organisations would consider illustrations as a key part of their healthcare communication.

This article was first published in Her World’s August issue. Grab a copy today!