Table 1. The final categories of sentiments, their definition, and examples of tweets for each category.
| Category | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Concern | Replies that express COVID-19-related fear, anxiety, worry, or sadness for self or others. May also express skepticism. | “omg ppl stay home for the love of god” #stayathome |
| Distrust | Replies that contradict the reference standard or contain unsubstantiated information. May make speculations or express distrust of authority or the media. May include conspiracy theories or misinformation. | “Deflecting much? You lied about masks! It was all BS! You told Canadians we didn’t know how to safely wear mask” “#CoronaVirus #CoVid19 LancetGate: Big Pharma Corruption And Their COVID-19 Lies” |
| Downplay | Replies that attempt to de-emphasize the potential risks of COVID-19 or bring it into perspective. May also express a lack of concern or disinterest. | “there’s nothing to be afraid of.” “don’t forget to tell everyone that the normal flu has 2x the cases and 8 deaths this year” |
| Frustration | Replies that express anger, annoyance, scorn, or volatile contempt. May include coarse language. | “This team should be fired! Shame on you!!” “You are a disgrace and a fraud #RESIGN” |
| Humour or sarcasm | Comedic or sarcastic replies. | “You look so funny when you want to be credible” “you have a funny way of showing your appreciation” |
| Information requests and inquiries | Replies that include questions, demand clarifications or help. | “Here is a question: The man who died at his home of covid19 (not hospital), was he tested for covid 19?” “What measures exactly?” |
| Information sharing and resources | Replies containing COVID-19 news, updates, or any related information. May be a title or summary of a linked article. | “there are 598 cases in continuing care facilities, 921 cases at [location]” |
| Personal experiences | Replies where users mention a direct (personal) or indirect (e.g. family or acquaintance) experience with COVID-19. | “me and my wife are both feeling sick. sore throat. tired. minor cough. chest tightness. we work at [location]. so lots of exposure to the public. the phone line is busy.” |
| Personal opinion or suggestion | Replies where users express opinions about the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., their perceptions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the COVID-19 situation or news) and provide suggestions. | “help the front-line staff and give them proper equipment including n95 masks. please communicate with the health minister” “while social distancing may be happening. self isolation isn’t. that is disappointing. please make sure people who are sick have the space they need to heal away from other people.” |
| Racism and stigma | Replies related to racist and discrimination-based expressions | “CCP restricted Wuhan ppl to go to Beijing in Jan 2020. Why? Because CCP knew that Wuhan Coronavirus was dangerous. CCP allowed Wuhan ppl to go to Canada, USA, etc in Jan 2020. Why? Because CCP used Wuhan Coronavirus as a bioweapon to attack the West. #ChinaLiedPeopleDied” |
| Relief | Replies that express joy, happiness, or sense of peace. May also express gratitude and acknowledgement. | “Please keep the great job that you are doing” “thank you! so glad you and your family are well. this is a reassuring message and so appreciated.” |