040 // "Stay Home, Save Lives" and the ethics of public health slogans

Kathryn Exon Smith -

"Stay home, save lives" quickly became the rally cry of the COVID-19 pandemic, but was it a fair appeal, particularly when considering the limited agency that individuals have to influence the pandemic's trajectory? The slogan, which was plastered across billboards and social media alike, implies its converse – go out and risk lives, perhaps even go out and cause death. Billboards in the state of Oregon warned people explicitly not to "accidentally kill someone." Did such messages place an appropriate moral burden on the shoulders of individuals? If not, what was, or what would have been, a fair slogan to encourage people to remain at home when the pandemic was at its worst?

Public health campaigns, from "breast is best" to "friends don't let friends drive drunk", are a form of advertising, employing the tactics that are typical of advertising. We tend, however, to be less critical of overstatement and over-simplification when they are used in service of a public health goal than when they are used to sell a car or a tropical vacation. Alexandra Campbell, once a practicing criminal lawyer and now a bioethicist, will lead us in a welcoming, inclusive discussion about the ethics of "Stay home, save lives" and other public health slogans.

Alexandra Campbell is a bioethicist working in Toronto.

Oregon releases attention-getting public service campaign - KTVZ
Gov. Kate Brown on Saturday launched a statewide public awareness campaign with a Portland-based ad agency, the Oregon Health Authority and public health partners to inform Oregonians about the urgent importance of staying home to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic.
KTVZKTVZ news sources
B.C. widower urges moms suffering postpartum depression: ‘Please seek help’
A B.C. father whose wife died after suffering from postpartum depression is speaking out, telling new mothers in an open letter that they shouldn’t feel guilty if they are unable to breastfeed.
CTVNews

This salon took place January 21, 2022.