Thanks to his professional role in “El reto”, he joined television in 2005 and today heads the health department of Noticias Caracol. Dr. Fernanda talks about COVID-19 she suffered from and the challenges of the pandemic.
For a month and a half he learned he had COVID-19. You made it known yourself on your social networks, with a fairly calm demeanor and in a serene tone. How has it been this time since you received the news so far that you have already overcome it?
I was always very calm. Not just because I didn’t have severe symptoms, but because I was living the best possible scenario: that of asymptomatic I didn’t feel it! Thanks to the random test, I found out that I had COVID-19 and was able to isolate myself; otherwise I wouldn’t have noticed. Plus, knowing the data and the probabilities gives you that peace of mind: Up to 40% of COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic carriers (that is, people who have the virus but don’t develop symptoms, although they can pass it on to others ) one of the great traps this virus has brought us! Furthermore, I have no co-morbidity or risk factors, nor do I live with vulnerable people. So the outlook was always favorable.
Not only are you a presenter, you are also the editor of Noticias Caracol’s health department. How do you distinguish between so much information that is most relevant and scientifically proven, especially in this day and age of so much false news?
The pandemic made health a problem for all journalists and non-journalists as, with its complexity and many facets, it came out of the hands of those of us who traditionally devoted ourselves to this resource. It must be admitted that this has also been an information crisis, partly because of the volume and the speed with which it is spreading. As for the news and information within my competence, I seek and verify myself. In addition, I have a very wide network of specialists that I consult in special situations. With fake news, the same technology makes that essential verification task easy for us right now. I consider it a mandatory exercise for those who disseminate and consume information. Contrary to what might be assumed, I think fake news becomes an opportunity for journalism to show its value.
How is the process of organizing the verified information and choosing the topics to discuss, especially in this time of a pandemic?
I think choosing the topics was one of the biggest challenges, lessons and lessons in a very complex context. In our case, we have an editorial board for each news broadcast, where the topics are analyzed and assigned. I mainly participate in the one that matches the afternoon news. I think, as in other aspects, the media was not prepared. Without hesitation, this has been a challenge for quality journalism. I am convinced that the only way to make a difference in the midst of so many sources, confusion and this war of disinformation, is through rigor, creativity, dedication, ethics and self-regulation. I hope it paves the way for science journalism and takes its rightful place.
Your foray into the media was linked to taking part in your role as a physician in “The Challenge.” At the time, were you hesitant to accept the proposal?
I did not hesitate. When they made the proposal to me, I said why not? I must admit that I did it out of curiosity to get to know a different world from the one in which I lived and about which there are many prejudices. But I was not wrong to accept the offer. It was a great experience. It’s nice to look back because I ran away from the cameras. In the few interviews I gave I was very serious and technical: it makes me laugh to see myself! I couldn’t imagine this would become my daily life.
How were your first appearances on television, already as a presenter on medical issues?
The memory is very clear, as if it were yesterday. Those first gigs were to talk about the flu, we were at the height of respiratory illness (2005). Everything was new, the matter of time cost me a lot, it seemed the most challenging to me. How can you talk about such a broad topic in a minute and a half? But I managed to adapt, little by little the capacity for synthesis develops to achieve the most important thing: to have a clear, concise and useful message. I think it was the perfect opportunity that life gave me to do public health. I am convinced that my work, from the media, is another way of practicing medicine.
What was your hardest time on the air to avoid?
Reporting on what happened to the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination in Carmen de Bolívar was a very difficult and painful moment. But the longest and most complex was this pandemic. Many times I have felt frustrated and helpless. I confess that I cried several times in the beginning. So I had to repeat to myself the words that, exactly, about Carmen de Bolívar, someone said to me, “A swallow doesn’t make a summer.” I understood that I can only contribute a grain of sand and I cannot change things on my own. That helped me to keep going and do my job the best I could.
What objection would I have to the phenomenon of virtuality?
Virtuality is here to stay and to transform the way we communicate and interact. I have no hesitation in believing it has huge benefits, let’s take a look at the pandemic. The virus locked us in our homes, but virtuality allowed us to stay connected to the world. It has its weak side, of course. The abundance of information, the speed with which it spreads (especially erroneous and malicious ones), the lack of filters for the sources and the quality of the content become a threat. We cannot eradicate these phenomena, but we can improve the response on several fronts and of course give the population more means of verification, critical thinking, media, digital and information literacy and, in this case, science.
In 2014 he published “Doctor, what do I do?”, A book in which he answers medical concerns. Do you have plans to publish another book?
Of course I have always wanted to recreate not one, but several books. And especially during this pandemic, I’ve occasionally thought, What if I compile the little chapters I write every day? But as the saying goes, the urgent leaves no time for the important. Or maybe it’s a lack of discipline. At least I hope I can do it again.