How Do the First Days Count? A Case Study of Qatar Experience in Emergency Risk Communication during the MERS-CoV Outbreak.

Mohamed Nour,Elena Savoia,Mohd Alhajri,Mohamed Al-Thani,Elmoubasher Farag,Hamad Al-Romaihi,Salih Al-Marri

doi:10.3390/ijerph14121597

Abstract

This case study is the first to be developed in the Middle East region to document what happened during the response to the 2013 MERS outbreak in Qatar. It provides a description of key epidemiologic events and news released from a prime daily newspaper and main Emergency Risk Communication (ERC) actions that were undertaken by public health authorities. Using the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) theoretical framework, the study analyzes how the performed ERC strategies during the first days of the outbreak might have contributed to the outbreak management. Methods: MERS-CoV related events were chronologically tracked, together with the relevant stories that were published in a major newspaper over the course of three distinct phases of the epidemic. The collected media stories were then assessed against the practiced emergency risk communication (ERC) activities during the same time frame. Results: The Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework was partially followed during the early days of the MERS-CoV epidemic, which were characterized by overwhelming uncertainty. The SCH’s commitment to a proactive and open risk communication strategy since day one, contributed to creating the SCH’s image as a credible source of information and allowed for the quick initiation of the overall response efforts. Yet, conflicting messages and over reassurance were among the observed pitfalls of the implemented ERC strategy. Conclusion: The adoption of CERC principles can help restore and maintain the credibility of responding agencies. Further work is needed to develop more rigorous and comprehensive research strategies that address sharing of information by mainstream as well as social media for a more accurate assessment of the impact of the ERC strategy.

Highlights

In May 2013, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan warned that a novel coronavirus, named Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), posed “a threat to the entire world” [1]
In the proposed case study we provide information on how the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) followed some of the actions recommended in the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework during the pre-crisis and initial phase of the 2013 MERS outbreak
In Qatar, public health actions that were taken in emergency situations are based on the National Early Preparedness and Response (EPR) plan, which is guided by the International

Summary

Introduction

In May 2013, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan warned that a novel coronavirus, named Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), posed “a threat to the entire world” [1]. Since September 2012 to the time this case report was finalized (October 2017), WHO has received notification of 2090 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV from. 27 countries, including 730 deaths [2]. Since MERS-CoV is a relatively newly discovered virus, uncertainty regarding its epidemiological and clinical characteristics complicated the nature of the public health response to this epidemic [3]. Between 2012 and 2017, Qatar reported 19 MERS-CoV cases, including seven deaths. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 1597; doi:10.3390/ijerph14121597 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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