Fig 3. Global convergence and regional divergence in Covid-19 narratives across six continents.

Pre-pandemic narratives (Oct’19–Dec’19; coded ‘green’) were divergent across regions with Africa focused on infectious diseases (e.g., monkeypox), Asia on dengue fever, Oceania on plant-related fungal diseases and North America on Lyme disease and AIDS. Early and Peak Pandemic evidenced a global convergence, reflecting the omnipresence of Covid-19 globally. The brief transition from early (coded ‘orange’) to peak (coded ‘red’) pandemic narratives underscored the pandemic’s rapid spread across six continents. Emerging from the embers of the pandemic’s peak are nascent recovery narratives (coded ‘blue’) that are regionally divergent—Oceania focused on hope and an uncertain future while North America focused on re-opening the economy and tackling discrimination.