Introduction:

In information search and processing, as well as in coping with COVID-19, communication media and the criteria about the disease are determinant.

Objective:

To identify the communication media used to obtain information about the pandemic and the criteria related to coping with it.

Methods:

A descriptive research was carried out in May 2020 with young people and adults belonging to a family medical office in Güines Municipality, Mayabeque Province, Cuba. The methods used to obtain information were participant observation, survey and focus groups.

Results:

The main communication media through which the youth group obtained information was the Internet, while the adults did so mainly through television. The young mostly considered COVID-19 to be moderately dangerous and that they are not very susceptible to infection with it. The adults considered it very dangerous and contagious. The measure they believed to be most effective was wearing a face mask. Only a minority of the young assessed the effectiveness of physical distancing. Most of the individuals were found not to respect the rules of physical distancing and, although wearing a face mask is mandatory, several young people did it incorrectly. The main responsibility for avoiding contagion was attributed to government authorities.

Conclusions:

Communication media play a crucial role in obtaining information about COVID-19; the use of television prevails and the young clearly consider the disease not very dangerous, unlike adults, who feel more threatened and assume individual responsibility.

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