Toward effective government communication strategies in the era of COVID-19

Bernadette Hyland-Wood,John Gardner,Julie Leask,Ullrich K H Ecker

doi:10.1057/s41599-020-00701-w

Abstract

Several countries have successfully reduced their COVID-19 infection rate early, while others have been overwhelmed. The reasons for the differences are complex, but response efficacy has in part depended on the speed and scale of governmental intervention and how communities have received, perceived, and acted on the information provided by governments and other agencies. While there is no ‘one size fits all’ communications strategy to deliver information during a prolonged crisis, in this article, we draw on key findings from scholarship in multiple social science disciplines to highlight some fundamental characteristics of effective governmental crisis communication. We then present ten recommendations for effective communication strategies to engender maximum support and participation. We argue that an effective communication strategy is a two-way process that involves clear messages, delivered via appropriate platforms, tailored for diverse audiences, and shared by trusted people. Ultimately, the long-term success depends on developing and maintaining public trust. We outline how government policymakers can engender widespread public support and participation through increased and ongoing community engagement. We argue that a diversity of community groups must be included in engagement activities. We also highlight the implications of emerging digital technologies in communication and engagement activities.

Highlights

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and has been responsible for a global economic downturn
Public health communication was considered central to addressing the pandemic, and it was defined as a two-way process engaging policymakers and communities
This paper argues that effective communication during a public health crisis is not merely about messaging

Summary

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and has been responsible for a global economic downturn. The strategic appeal to emotional norms can have an ‘othering’ effect: it risks propagating a sense of disgust towards particular behaviours and specific groups of people (Lupton, 2015) This highlights the necessity of engaging with diverse communities to balance public health messaging (Habersaat et al, 2020). Community reference groups can be consulted on an ongoing basis to represent the socio-cultural diversity of respective communities Such groups are often best equipped to provide guidance on the lived experiences and perspectives of key groups that affect how people respond to messages and prevent disease. They allow planners to better appreciate community concerns and needs and potential opposition to specific intervention strategies. Data availability Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during this study

Limitations

Conclusion