COVID-19: Clear crisis communications are crucial

By Ramon Pinero, Vice President of Services, BlackBerry AtHoc

As coronavirus cases continue to spike around the globe, everyone from the Government and local emergency services to private organisations and scientific investigators have been mobilising to contain the threat to British citizens. Global news channels are fixated on how we can beat the virus and return to normality without impacting the economy. However, without clear crisis communications, no government will be able to react and respond effectively should the infection rate rise exponentially again.

Spreading the word in emergencies

In a crisis, things can change in an instant. Faced with social media rumours, jammed mobile phone networks and general confusion in an information vacuum, when people panic, it can be a monumental challenge for public officials to manage.

However, just consider the scale of international co-ordination, with thousands of stakeholders and millions of people that require clear, real-time communications via multiple channels and languages. How can governments, agencies, local councils and private organisations effectively get the word out to the right audiences? Well-designed next-generation crisis communications.

Combating an outbreak using emergency responses

Disease outbreaks require a different kind of response from emergency challenges like floods, fires or terrorist attacks. In these emergencies, people must be moved away from danger as quickly as possible, and the active threat must be contained inside a specific location.

In an epidemic or pandemic situation, affected individuals need to be identified as quickly as possible, then isolated from the general population. Those not yet affected, need to know when and where to go to get tested and who to ask for further information – channelling the lines of enquiry.

If the right information can be distributed – it means small areas can be locked down or targeted with help, rather than large areas being evacuated unnecessarily, which can create huge disruption and economic impact. Also, networks of people who come in contact with carriers of a disease can be more easily located and contained. The tighter the geographic fences, the sooner the outbreak can be slowed down and contained.

Even the best plans of action cannot be guaranteed

Outbreaks of disease require both a narrow geographic focus and an international range of incident management programs to contain it. Emergency notification systems aimed at controlling epidemics should be interoperable across a wide range of networks, media and devices used by different agencies, first responders and health professionals.  Critical communication management systems must have two-way communication capabilities, making it easier to find out who needs assistance and simplifying the task of coordinating people who can assist.

Another area where epidemic control requires a different approach is in the dissemination of information to the public. Diseases have the potential to spur fear at a visceral level. It is important to alert citizens from a trusted source and maintain regular updates. The use of multi-modal technology to promptly send a message to a phone, laptop, loudspeaker, digital TV, social media or any other connected device is critical to reach the masses, rather than relying on one type of technology, such SMS or text messages.

In the case of a second outbreak, community leaders can also use networked crisis software to pinpoint who was in an area of high infection during a certain window of time and notify those citizens directly that they may have been exposed and to go to particular hospitals.

Just as importantly, it must use authentication and encryption to secure all communication and comply with government security and privacy regulations. Careful control of information between responders and public health officials is essential. This content must be carefully secured, so that only fully-vetted and authorised communications from known, reliable resources are released to both the media and public.

Putting safety first means being prepared for every eventuality

Emergency preparation guidelines and regulations are in constant flux as the nature and severity of emergencies change around the world, from terrorism and cyber-attacks to the climate crisis. Decision makers, whether in the public or private sectors, should remain on their toes, primed for any eventuality, anticipated or out-of-the-blue. The coronavirus is a stark reminder that the ability to react to crises with speed, efficiency and success is underpinned by effective communication and response. Ultimately, these actions will save lives.

Organisations with an imperative to care for citizens, including government, local authorities and private enterprises, should pay attention to the successes and mistakes being made as the coronavirus rages on. Decision-makers should be looking now at their critical communications systems, to check if they will match up to the level of threat when the next international crisis arises. Will they be able to keep those in their care safe? Or is it time to act before it’s too late?