UNSTRUCTURED
We consider the prevalence of misinformation online before and during the Covid 19 pandemic and the effect that has on health practitioners’ practice. The pressures and distractions that health professionals face in attempting to mitigate the impacts of this misinformation are discussed. By reviewing the available literature, we are able to draw conclusions regarding the impact on both health professionals' and patients' understanding of health information, especially in under represented communities, during and before the pandemic. The aim is to illustrate the impact of online social media in introducing additional sources of misinformation that impact health practitioners' ability to communicate effectively with their patients. In addition, the level of knowledge held by practitioners in order to mitigate the effect of misinformation is considered as well as the additional stress factors associated with dealing with the outbreak, which in turn affect communication with patients.