According to a recent survey published by the scientific publication Science, Thursday (24/3), nearly 2 in 5 COVID-19 researchers reported that they had been harassed since the pandemic began.
The survey includes responses from 510 researchers who have published about COVID-19 and was conducted by the journal Science news team.
The survey, which did not go through a peer review process, found that 38% of the researchers had experienced harassment. Before the pandemic, 71% of respondents said they received less harassment or no harassment at all.
The researchers reported that attacks on personal and professional abilities were the most common type of harassment they received. Other types of harassment, such as threats of harm, physical intimidation, and doxxing, are less common.
There are even worse ones. As quoted by NBC News, as many as 18 scientists, or about 3.5% of those surveyed, said they received death threats.
The Science analysis estimates that scientists with a public attitude toward politicized topics, including those against the use of the drug Ivermectin, are more likely to experience harassment.
Harassment of researchers and public health officials during the pandemic has become a growing concern and focus for this professional organization.
The survey conducted by Nature, which included responses from 321 researchers discussing COVID-19 in the media, found that 81% reported receiving personal attacks, 22% receiving threats of physical or sexual violence, and 15% receiving death threats.
A Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study published last week found widespread reports of abuse among local public health departments.
In survey data compiled by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, researchers found 57% of health departments reported abuse during the first 11 months of the pandemic, and there were 1,499 cases reported.