Danish academy demands urgent post-Covid survey

Important lessons on science communication could be lost without in-depth study, white paper suggests

Denmark needs to urgently survey its researchers on their experience of sharing and communicating science during the Covid-19 pandemic, the country’s royal science academy has said.

The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters issued a white paper in late September saying that an opportunity to learn more about effective science communication could be lost as the pandemic fades and public debate normalises. It said there was little information on how scientists felt about being asked to provide scientific insights for the public as well as media commentary and practical instructions.