A few days ago, a (now deleted) tweet from the UK Health Secretary, Sajid Javid stated: “Please — if you haven’t yet — get your jab, as we learn to live with, rather than cower from, this virus.” Naturally, this caused a fair amount of outrage from the general public, and a vague apology was given the next day.
Speaking as someone who has been “cowering” for well over a year from COVID, the language made me and many others irate. Language is important during these tense and uncertain times, and communication when relaying messages to the entirety of the UK and beyond should be concise, factual and empathetic wherever possible.
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