The swine flu risk – managing perceptions vs reality
When managing communications during a crisis there are numerous challenges. First and foremost is removal of risk and management of any potential future risks. To do this those who are potentially affected need to be made aware of the risk posed to them to the extent that they are motivated to take the appropriate action. At the same time undue scaremongering and mass hysteria must be avoided.
Within New Zealand there have been many occasions when people have had to be told that they may have a particular life threatening condition. Think contaminated blood, failed cancer screening and CJD, not to mention medical misadventure.
An individual’s own sense of vulnerability is based on personal experiences in the same way that past events in a country influences that nation’s response to future risk scenarios. Take the UK for example. With deaths due to salmonella-contaminated eggs and BSE in beef, their safe food lobby is highly vocal and effective. They also have high rates of vegetarianism, showing that many consumers have acted, at least partly, as a result of such scares.
Fast forward to the current swine flu pandemic alert and the response has been swift and of the highest profile. The Ministry of Health, District Health Boards and other health agencies are to be commended on how they have responded and managed the issue. As are our media. Prior to the confirmation of swine flu there were some suggestions of a media set up, but we now know the response was justified.
In times of crisis the relationship between the media and information authorities is of utmost importance. Authorities were initially highly dependent on the media to attract the interest of the people they were trying to trace from limited flight arrival card information, and the media delivered on this responsibility.
Allaying fears, and assuring those that get the sniffles who haven’t travelled to Mexico or the US in the last week don’t panic, continues to be an important task of the media.
It’s great to see this crucial relationship working well in New Zealand – long may it continue.
What’s your view?
April 29th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I agree that the media played a HUGE part in the information getting to the passengers and general public, and it has been great to see such a swift reaction from the PM and MOH as well as the media amongst others. However, i heard a recent poll that 70% of listeners of The Rock were not worried about the Swine flu and believe the media are overreacting.
i’m mixed here. i believe i join the 70% of The Rock listeners. but i also believe that the reason WHY i’m part of that 70% is knowing we’re in a country equipped, and dealing with the situation swiftly and effectivly (hopefully!) and this is why i’m feeling as safe as i am.
had it not been for the media hype which i have lead myself to believe as being a huge overeaction (i’m already sick of hearing the term ’swine flu’) then i probably wouldnt feel as safe, because i wouldnt have heard about the action everyone is taking to control this influenza a. meaning i would be left wondering what’s happening – and IMHO not knowing is always worse than hearing a bit too much about somthing.
So Rock listeners i pose this thought to you – do you think without the media ‘hype’ – justified or not – that you would feel as safe as you do?