(DrumBeatnet] COVID-19 - Communication Response?

1. All communications should be evidence-based and NOT hearsay. 

2. Messages should be carefully composed so as not to create fear or panic, but at same time, offer practical advice and be comforting

3. The nature of the disease as known so far: symptoms, do's & don'ts, diagnosis & treatment protocols

A touch of warmth laced with humour may make communication more meaningful

At this point efforts are much needed to;

1. Mobilise more health professionals and;

2. Keep engaging with the public about preventive measures and avail correct information of the prevalence;

3.Implement strict but sensible travel controls and ensuring that frontline health workers have ready access to diagnostic tests and are vigilant – that they don’t send anyone who may have been exposed home without testing them, for example.

4. Stop Judging by past experiences, as it portrays image of no positive expectation towards solution of the problem and likely that health officials and the public in much of the world remain unaware or unconvinced of the danger this virus poses.

Coronavirus strategies

Drawing from your communication, social change, behaviour change, media for development, community engagement and/or research and policy development experience, knowledge, skill, and insight ...

... in your assessment, what are the three strategic and/or programming priorities and actions for an effective response to COVID-19?

1. Promoting hand hygiene, social distancing and other desired behaviors through mass/social media (and community dialogue, where safe)

2. Combatting stigma and discrimination related to COVID-19 through mass/social media (and community dialogue, where safe)

3. Promoting longer-term pandemic preparedness relating to wildlife wet markets, personal and social hygiene, climate change, etc. through a range of SBCC approaches 

1. Truth about the virus- how it spreads. De-stigmatize ethnic/race association with the virus

2. Get checked/tested if having flu-like symptoms. Follow guidance from vetted sources

3. Practice good hygiene daily

The thought for an effective response to COVID-19 is very timely in view of the danger it poses to the global community. 
In my assessment, the three basic requirements to curtail the spread of the scourge is through sensitization, awareness and behavior change communication. This could be achieved through media campaign (audiovisual) as well as the distribution of Behavior Change Communication BCC materials from house-to-house, in schools, colleges, public places and all means of transportation at this initial stage. Later the awareness campaign be widen by organizing Town Hall Meetings across the globe to ensure total reach-out. The concept is to avert recurrence of the scourge since it is contagious.

TRANSMISSION:

Coronavirus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets from an infected persons and by touching surfaces that are contaminated such as door handles, lift buttons etc. Therefore people should maintain a distance of one meter (3 feets) between themselves and people who are coughing, sneezing or have fever.

TRANSMISSION to child during Pregnancy:

Experts say no enough evidence of mother to child transmission during pregnancy or the impact that might have on the baby.

SYMPTOMS:

The symptoms of coronavirus includes fever, cough and shortness of breath. In severe cases infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties. The disease can be fatal in older people with pre-existing conditions.

PRECAUTION:

Experts advise people to wash their hands thoroughly using soap and water or use hand rub disinfectant.Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Equally you can use your hand and elbow to cover your mouth and nose or use tissue paper and dispose off into the dustbin nearby immediately. Experts say hand washing frequently is more important than mouth mask for people who are not infected. People who are sneezing and coughing are advised to wear a medical mask to help protect others.According to information from UNICEF there is no specific medication to prevent or treat the new coronavirus. The best thing one can do is to observe basic hygiene. Both WHO and UNICEF are on the alert for updated on Coronavirus.Sani Malunfashi

1. Alert and reassure

2. Provide recommendations on key prevention approaches and referral options

3. Follow-up regularly to build engagement and participation

Some reasonable examples are already around which use pictographic recommendations but there are also some which are too complex and not user friendly. The materials could be tied together with a strong unified call to action – Protect yourself from Covid-19 /Prevent Covid-19

Best regards

Tahir Turk (MComm, PhD) - Senior Partner
Communication Partners International

Hi everyone,

I would like to direct you to CORE Group's bi-weekly calls on COVID19, with WHO/UNICEF and other health and SBC professionals. It is Friday at 10AM next week, and I can send the call-in details. Last week we had over 75 organizations from around the globe, and we are uploading the developing resources, as well as WHO/UNICEF materials to our landing page:

https://coregroup.org/resources/2019-novel-coronavirus-global-response-coordination/

The previous calls and materials are there.

Please consider joining this collaborative effort.

Best,

Lisa

1.? In most respects’ priorities and strategies are still contextual. Being prepared for COVID-19 in an ongoing and developing situation is challenging. In Wales where there are currently 2 cases identified with COVID-19 who have both returned from Italy, where there are currently over 4000 have been identified, the responses here are often driven by worst case scenarios. Pre-Panic anxiety has caused shops to sell out of handwash and toilet paper and some essential foodstuffs. Our town is very rural and away from major routes. There is mixed public opinion but scare stories are currently the social media preference. However, taking COVID-19 seriously is a given with our arts for development theatre. Our continued existence and ability to pay our staff relies on remaining open and open with the safety of the public and our staff in at the forefront of decision making.  Internal judgements are exposed to external scrutiny, decisions have to be balanced against an environment of fear and one of, hopefully, reliable information while we are all in a situation in flux.

2.? Take the initiative, communicate ~ Keep talking sensibly, calmly but firmly about COVID-19 and respond to WHO/government advice. Anti-Chinese attacks and hate is evident and harassment of those with Italian heritage is on the rise in larger towns. This ugly sentiment seems to exploit any opportunity and dealing with it should be part of any strategy. The media in Britain is notorious for fuelling hate and should grow an ethical backbone to help avoid a crisis rather than stoke it.

3.? Escalation: If or when Government advice turns draconian or military solutions prevail we must ensure that these responses are rooted wholly in scientific advice and are proportionate to that expert advice. In a world that distrusts experts this is an opportunity to allow experts to protect us. Governments should not take advantage and impose extended restrictions on movement as part on any ongoing agenda of control. Fear should not be the new norm.

In my view, there should be the following 3 priorities:

1. Create awareness of the disease and how it is different than other flues. Such as an infected person can spread germs two weeks or more before showing symptoms on his/her person. second, there is neither a vaccine nor a treatment of the virus as yet. Only symptoms such as fever are treated.

2. Its important yet often ignored to clearly inform people how this disease is transmitted. Only talking about preventive and remedial action is not enough action such as washing hands, etc. People must understand clearly how their action will prevent spread of infection and getting infected themselves.

3. Emphasize communication channels that are stable along with mass media such as bill boards wall chalking. Highlight behavior change that can make the most difference. In other words messages should be carefully crafted. Avoid fear arousing appeals, because they create panic and not sustained action.

Javed S. Ahmad

Thanks for the invitation to reply.

One thing that strikes me is the necessity for people to understand public health theory and experience around the control of epidemics. Essentially, it is not just a matter of directly protecting yourself, or looking at your own level of risk, but as seeing us as a population that is exposed – at local, national and international level – and following expert advice accordingly about how we should behave.

Interestingly, the epidemic reminds us that we are indeed all in it together. Solidarity is not just a moral imperative but also a public health imperative. Some communities already function in this way and would have a lot to teach industrialised western states where individualism has become the norm.

Dre Brenda Spencer

The case of ebola really taught us these critical lessons, that if immigrants especially from top level 'travel health notice'  are properly screened, its importation would have been reduced. Covid 19 importation can be tackled through this means.

The fear of contracting the disease makes citizens to engage in unhealthy and unproven 'prevention controls'. Passing credible information and empowering the community towards behavioural change will calm the tension, identify suspected cases and make educated decisions.

Our health facilities at all levels must be ready. Understanding what to do and how to do it their protection and preventing further spread.

1. Stimulate community engagement by forging the connection between what communities have done in the past and the effects that change had on them. Actions taken by communities to stop the Ebola virus in several parts of DRC, for instance, is a good example of how community history can be used to demonstrate people’s capacities to solve their problems and improve health among community members. Rather than telling people not to panic, it is worth reminding them how their effort contributed to stop Ebola outbreak. Government partners including representatives from the Ministry of Health, opinion leaders, and NGOs should use mass media and other community events to stress out what community members did in the past and how they can contribute to stop the coronavirus pandemic. Praising people for their achievement in the past and making them feel they can reengage in any other challenge is a very strong motivation for them to be prepared and be involved in taking appropriate actions to slow and control the spread of the disease.  

2. Maintain community engagement by connecting to all community assets and strengthen their capacities to influence people’s behaviors in adopting preventive and care management of COVID-19. The community assets to rely on are: community leaders, religious leaders, opinion leaders  (music stars), youth leaders, community based organization leaders, community health workers, motorcycle leaders, social networks. They need to be fed up with accurate knowledge and skills to approach people and respond to their concerns. Avoid generic messages such as for instance asking people to be calm. Rather, dialogue with them to clarify how to avoid and take care of the disease.  Providing feedback on the results of community effort is another approach to maintain community engagement. Health providers should be prepared to share data regularly collected in the health facilities demonstrating whether the situation is improving or deteriorating and required actions to be taken in both the health facility and in the community.  

3. Strengthen the extension system by reinforcing contacts between health providers and community health workers. Health providers at different levels-national, prefecture, health zones, health centers, NGOs will build regular contacts with community health workers to share the latest information about the disease and how to tackle misinformation and other rumors.  Doing so will give continual credibility to these extension agents by ensuring that community members are fed up with actual and complete information package. Community health workers will be useful as well in reinforcing the quarantine strategy recommending some people to stay at home in order to prevent the spreading of the disease.  

Wednesday, March 13, 2020

Guillaume Bakadi Mukenge

Read (the COVID19 discussion) postings with great interest.

I strongly believe there's 3 points that I'd want to offer of 1.  Your article already covers which is hygene washing hands etc.

2. The other point is we need to boost up our immune system. Bet, there's heaps written by WHO.

3 Is taking extra dose of vitamin C wither buy whole plant foods or presctibed Multi-vitamin.

Many thanks for your postings trust, my message and the 2 other points will be shared among the health first-line defence!

Do keep amazing and a wonderful tropical Sunday morning 2u!

Rakesh

In fact, we taught it was a joke until we recorded 2 cases and as at today, we had 4 more positive cases on our hands. They are all imported cases as they are people who have travelled back to Ghana as Ghanaians or foreigners.

We are puting in some strategic measures to contain the situation to prevent community spread.

Handwashing has been emphasied as well as the use of liquid based hand saniters but the challenge is the shortage of hand saniters. The little that is there has had an increase in the price which is over 200%.

Jingles has been running on both the TV and radio stations and in cars and other means of transport. SBCC materals has been distributed but our greatest challenge is the hand shaking during ceremonies such as funerals, birthdays, wedding and other social gathering. The education is ongoing using the print and electronic means.

I am in Accra to participate in a Trainers of Trainees workshop. As i was travelling in the bus, I saw more than 7 funeral celebrations as people were busy hugging and saking hands. I was alarmed, how safe are they?

My other take is about our moslem brothers who shake their hands during funerals especially the second day following the death of a brother or a sister. In churches, it has been announced that no more hand shaking. Congreations had been told to use hand saniters more often and as when they perform certain activities.

With the global reach of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is now more important than ever for those who are (or may be) living with HIV or TB to get tested and adhere rigidly to their ART or TB treatment.

Here is a metaphorical story which can be used to explain why, in a way that motivates testing and treatment adherence:

Imagine that, for a long time, you have been fighting a deadly duel with an opponent called Higgins.  You are quite evenly matched.  Initially Higgins attacked strongly, but you quickly found ways to counter his attacks and suppress him.  But he hid so that you could not finish him off completely and he continued to niggle and attack you.  You are now exhausted and it has become increasingly difficult to suppress the relentless attacks by Higgins.

Suddenly an energetic, fresh opponent joins Higgins in attacking you.  An opponent with different weapons and tactics that you know nothing about.    What chance do you have against both of them?

The new opponent is the new coronavirus. Higgins is HIV, and this is the situation you could face if you are living with HIV (or TB) and you are not getting effective treatment.

However if you are taking ARVs as prescribed and they are working, this is like having a tough co-fighter with you, who wrestles Higgins to the ground and sits on him so he cannot move.    HIV is suppressed to undetectable levels, freeing your body's immune system to rebuild the strength it needs to fend off an attack by the new coronavirus and other infections.

The same principle applies equally to TB testing and adherence to TB treatment.

Please share this freely and use/adapt this metaphorical story as you see fit to convey this message:  The now universal possibility of infection as COVID-19 continues to spread makes it vitally important to test and adhere strictly to treatment for both HIV and TB.

 
Best Regards
Peter Labouchere

BRIDGES OF HOPE TRAINING – Inspiring Healthy Lives

Patricia and Network, hope you are all keeping well.

It occurs to me that our sbcc programmes are of little value if we fail to practice the numerous methodologies we preach in our own countries. For example, regarding contact between sanitary authorities and community workers: not a single European or North American country has used the fundamental principle of Health Surveillance Based on Community Events.

The CDC website for communication on Corona is very good! It's got all the tools. But somehow it doesn't appear to have been used by our world leaders. Communications training must be performed for senior management and leadership too!

It will be an interesting PhD thesis to read when we evaluate how we failed (or succeeded) in communicating fundamental social and behaviour change that could have (and may still) save lives.

Dear Warren, Thanks for this. The world is changing indeed . No doubt this is key moment for all.

Our group is working on 2 information products that might help other communicators - one has gone live atCoronavirus – Connecting CommunitiesThe other will go live Monday (march 23rd) at an aggregation siteConnected Communities for COVID19 - still template
if you think it would help send links around...glad to include your stuff in ours as well
May the force be with us all Warm RegardsFranklin

Hi Warren,

Many thanks for this list of resources, very helpful

We had been asked to to help put up a page of practical ways to help community groups understand the the broader communication needs of people in their neighbourhoods during Covid-19. We'll add some of the links you shared if that's okay. I hope this is helpful.

Here is the link: SUPPORTING communities 

Warm regards

Jon

Jon Hargreaves | Director
health communication resources uk

Thanks for the updates/heads up.

I just want to share update on COVID-19 from my country Nigeria. Below is the lated update as at Saturday March 21st. (Ed - please see attached file when opening "Please click to review, comment and access any attachments" above and gthen logging in top right on platform)

Meanwhile, all hands are on desk on awareness campaign on Official and local languages. Similarly media jingles on Radio an TV are on while leaders of the two major faiths have also sent messages in firm of directives to their respective faithfuls  inline with WHO UNICEF standards.

Tertiary Institutions and colleges were closed down today and some early next week after their terminal examinations, in Lagos where the confirmed cases are high, Friday prayers were not held, religious gatherings of over 30 people were banned, in Abuja Major supermarkets and shops who have no disinfectant and sanitizers fir customers at the gate, were asked to closed down.
 

National Youths Service Corp camps have been closed down Friday nationwide other measures are being nurtured for implementing and part of efforts to stop the spread of the virus.  More updates in due course.

Sani Malumfashi

Dear Warren,

As part of community life competence process, in the Constellation we facilitate Self assessment with communities like we have done it on HIV, immunization, NCDs, maternal health etc. My Constellation colleagues Dr Jean Louis Lamboray and Dr E Mohamed Rafique have piloted Individual and Self assessment on COVID.

Read about what they have done here Community life competence You can see what level they are as individuals and as families. 

You are all free to try this. Please share your experience with us and provide your feedback to improve the self assessment.

Here is a short blog outlining some of FRI's current effort on COVID-19 with our 1,000 broadcasting partners across Africa.

It is also a bit of a commentary on the importance of radio generally in this pandemic.

Thanks!

 
Mark Leclair
Manager, Communications and Knowledge Management
Farm Radio International

Containing and stopping the new coronavirus pandemic requires equitable access to trusted, reliable information. Nonetheless, rapidly informing and empowering communities to stay healthy and safe as we combat the outbreak is only one part of the story. Any effective public health response will require an elaborate understanding of people's perceptions around risk and preparedness to understand their concerns and refine outbreak responses to address their fears.

In many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, responses to the recent Ebola virus outbreak have illustrated that a purely biomedical approach to disease control can result in community distrust and even resistance ...

(ED - For Elena's full contribution in blog form please access this link)

Coronavirus Global Response Coordination Call #5

Digital Technologies

 
Friday, March 27, 2020 | 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT | Online

All welcome

For Coordination Call #5, CORE will provide updates on risk communication and community engagement and Magnus Conteh, Executive Director, Community Health Academy, Last Mile Health will facilitate presentations and discussion on current digital technologies being used for COVID-19 response.

This week's call will consist of several rapid fire demos and presentations. Presenters include:

CORE Group Polio Project
Medic Mobile
BBC Media Action
Zenysis Technologies
Dimagi
THINKMD
USAID
Special Olympics
Ministries of Health

To Join the Meeting:

Webex Meeting Room

or

Call-in Information:

Meeting number (access code): 792 906 636

Meeting password: eQH3mRD552f

I fully echo and agree with what Cristina Muller has so eloquently commented in this thread as I observed some of the same unhygienic habits of different people related to washing of hands after going to the toilet.

However, I would like to answer her question and say that "ignorance" and "culture" are not interchangeable. Practically all the people that she and I observed related to not washing hands are not necessarily "ignorant". In fact, some of them will feel highly offended as they may have Masters degrees and higher titles after their names. 

The biggest challenge for SBCC has been and is that the root cause of a lot of behavioral problems are "traditions and culture". The present behavior or misbehavior of many people across all walks of life who are told to keep social distancing reconfirm that information and knowledge does not necessarily lead to behavior change.

Rather than using the term "social distancing" I would rather people and authorities use the direct term of "physical distancing". As I often tell our C4D training participants, some habits and culture may have to be changed through enforcing legal norms such as in the case of using seat belt in cars and wearing helmets while riding 2-wheeler.

I wish that everyone is safe in this period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Regards

Peter Chen

From the USA: Perspectives are still shifting

The COVID-19 reality is here and there are various perspectives on how to combat the virus. Three fronts 1) Federal Government urging tranquility and calm, hoping for a return to normalcy ( a 15-day waiting period) - self-imposed time period. 2) The States - New York, California, Washington - all grabbing the bull by the horns, enlisting the help of the medical profession (several retired doctors have returned to work) and urging residents to stay home. 3) Some states are engaging in quarantine measures of heir own. The Governor of Florida has announced that visitors from affected states (New York, etc.) will have to self-quarantine for 14 days as soon as they arrive Florida. The picture in the USA is not bright now - number of those infected and loss of life on the rise.For the sake of the African Diaspora, we will like to enlist correspondents from each corner of Africa: West, East, Central, South, North to work with us - provide us with perspectives (updates) on the response so that we can, in turn, report to the community here and worldwide. We will all get through this.God bless

Bill Jong-Ebot

Executive Director

Foundation for Rural and Economic Development in Africa

Hi

I have been reading some of the IRC strategies that prioritize things like public gatherings to inform people which might be actually dangerous because it disrespects the prevention strategy of social distancing. On the other hand some of the measures prescripted by the government of Cameroon are not doable for many people in the population (wash your hands if you do not have access to running water or soap...? social distancing?)

So can you recommend sources that are adapted to these kind of contexts?

... in your assessment, what are the three strategic and/or programming priorities and actions for an effective response to COVID-19?

1. Frequent, open, honest communications - where there is a void, people will fill it with fear or misinformation. Keep talking, keep educating - keep saying the same thing over and over, as not everybody hears it all first time. 

2. Share data as well as information - governments need to share analysis across borders, and make data (and methodology) available to civic tech, NGOs, CSOs and others who are working around COVID-19. Actionable insights for African changemakers is starting to collate sources of info - it's a development data platform, and partnership with Code4Africa and africapractice, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 

3. Make things freely accessible - information and products. Ideally, soap, sanitizer and hygiene products should be free to people who otherwise cannot afford to buy food, let alone soap. They shouldn't have to choose.