“The lessons of 9/11 haven’t been learned”: World Trade Center cough syndrome reframed as a national news item during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study is a content analysis of American news coverage of World Trade Center (WTC) cough syndrome, a common ailment among 9/11 survivors, published before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, coverage was limited to areas geographically proximate to the attacks and embodied themes of respiratory disease descriptions, heroism and patriotism and government involvement. Pandemic-era coverage expanded to areas where survivors now live and embodied themes of survivors comparing 9/11 to the pandemic, survivors’ vulnerability to COVID-19, lack of federal government transparency, calls for caution and safety protocols, heroism and patriotism and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.