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Communications Related to H1N1 Influenza: Getting the Message Out

Communications Related to H1N1 Influenza: Getting the Message Out. Joseph T. Raab, CIH Director Environment, Health & Safety University at Buffalo September 14, 2009. The perfect H1N1 communication.

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Communications Related to H1N1 Influenza: Getting the Message Out

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  1. Communications Related to H1N1 Influenza: Getting the Message Out Joseph T. Raab, CIH Director Environment, Health & Safety University at Buffalo September 14, 2009

  2. The perfect H1N1 communication • “The University can absolutely assure all students, faculty, staff and visitors that you will not contract H1N1 while on the grounds of our campus”

  3. The real H1N1 message The three behaviors • Wash your hands frequently • Cover you cough • Don’t come to class or work if you sick And by the way…you still may get H1N1 influenza

  4. “Swine” Flu Emerges, Spring 2009 • Communication issues: • Is it an emergency? • Is it a local emergency? • The community wants some reassurance. • The community wants to hear that the University cares. • Who from the University should send messages? • How is this different from the avian influenza that we all prepared for? • How to keep the administrators (policy group) informed?

  5. “Swine” Flu Emerges, Spring 2009 • Communications steps: • Locally, the situation was defined as a “heightened awareness” emergency. • www.emergency.buffalo.edu • Reassurance and caring message was primarily about the committee established to plan and address. • Emergency communications are handled with “one voice” through the PIO • Stressed the three behaviors. • Inform the “Policy Group” through text messages and live briefings

  6. Additional H1N1 Communication Challenges in Spring of 2009 • How to best present the information on the web. • Commencement ceremonies. • Athletics summer camp confirmed cases of H1N1.

  7. Issues Management • June 1, 2009 Memo from John O’Connor, Vice Chancellor and Secretary of the University, on “emergency procedures” • Established Ad Hoc “Issues Reporting” team • Presentation by Julie Peterson, Vice President of Communications, University of Chicago • Issues management – identify potential problems and vulnerabilities in the institution and plan to resolve the problem or minimize the vulnerability before it becomes a crisis.

  8. Latest H1N1 Communication Issues • Heightened concern of campus community during move in. • Concern over how vaccinations will be distributed. • Concern about availability of hand sanitizers. • Staff/Faculty concern about sick time. • How often should we be communicating? • How should the messages be distributed?

  9. In Summary • H1N1 Communications are emergency communications. • Try to address all emergency communications with the PIO structure under ICS. • Determine a strategy for distributing/posting communications and how often. • Issues management structure for University is critical

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