The Effects of Incriminating COVID-19 News on the Returning Indonesians’ Anxiety

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as a global pandemic. Governments have urged their citizens to return to their home countries. In the case of Indonesia, some new coverage about COVID-19 which is disseminated by major national media channels has negatively influenced Indonesian travelers’ mental condition. Returning Indonesians face anxiety for having been labeled as “virus carriers.” This article explores how sensationalism in media reports may affect society’s perspective toward returning Indonesian tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic.