Swine Flu News: How Its Spreading

Great post today from Lindsey Miller at Ragan.com

Communicators have been out front this week in spreading words of caution — and calm — about swine flu.

Roughly 85 percent of communicators who responded to a Ragan poll conducted Tuesday and Wednesday had already gotten the word out to fellow employees.

Of more than 300 respondents, 62 percent reported referring to their company’s crisis-communications plan to decide how to communicate the news. They got the message out via e-mail (69 percent) or company intranet (64 percent) and a smattering of different channels, including face-to-face communication, e-newsletter, and CEO memo. Only 8 percent said they went with social media (which in this survey specified blogs, audio, or video) to get the message out.

For most, or 93 percent, the message detailed precautions to take, while another 53 percent included a “Don’t panic” sentiment. Some, or 41 percent, sought to correct misinformation circulating by including a FAQ from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

Using digital means to assuage concerns

Survey respondents say they used digital communication primarily because it was the easiest and most comprehensive way to get the message out, but also because it didn’t evoke unnecessary alarm.

Several communicators at Texas Tech University say they are steering away from methods of communication normally associated with emergencies, such as text messaging or phone calls to students and staff, in favor of a less-panic-inducing approach. Texas Tech is in Lubbock, in northwest Texas, which is miles away from the closest confirmed cases in the state.

“We wanted to keep everyone calm, not overreact, not draw more attention than was necessary, so we’re providing an education-based approach,” says Lisa Low, senior editor of Web communications. “If it becomes an emergency, it’s a whole other response effort: We’ll text-message, and we’ll phone-call. We want to give everyone an opportunity to know what we know, and what information is out there.”

Texas Tech's created a site filled with information and a video about swine flu. Read the video transcript.

They’re using e-mail, their university news Web site, and various social media outlets to let their students and staff know about a Web site they’ve set up with links to the latest information from the CDC and the Texas Department of State Health Services. They’ve also included a video of a physician associated with the school talking about prevention and treatment of swine flu.

(Read more about how schools are responding.)

Atlantic Health, which operates hospitals and clinics in New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area, is taking a similar approach, but it’s using its intranet as a portal for links to the CDC and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Because Atlantic has a variety of audiences to inform—including patients, nurses, doctors, and staff members—they’re using a variety of means to publicize the information on their intranet.

It’s sending out global e-mails, faxes, e-mailing managers information to tell employees, and posting signs with precautionary information at facility entry points. It’s also creating a video about hand-washing that will be posted on its intranet.

Nicole Edmonds, internal communications coordinator at Rex Healthcare in North Carolina, sends out a daily global e-mail anyway, so now she’s using e-mail as the vehicle for links and info from the CDC and the North Carolina Public Health Office. She followed the organization’s crisis communication plan by first informing the employees that the organization was on top of the problem, and next ensuring that everyone is prepared.

“Our crisis communication plan’s first step was just to communicate that we know it’s there,” says Edmonds. “Step Two is behind the scenes, working to prepare and get staff up to speed on what’s happening. We’ll keep the line of communication open, on daily basis, on an hourly basis, or on a weekly basis, depending on the severity.”

Focus on precautions and staying calm

As for what they’re communicating digitally, most communicators are publicizing precautions and information from reputable sources, with the underlying message, “Don’t panic.”

Nancy Lewis, outreach systems manager for Grande Communications, which has locations throughout Texas, says she communicated to employees via company intranet, face-to-face meetings, and e-mail that they should get their information from a reliable source (the CDC), and not necessarily trust news media outlets. A number of employees’ children were home this week because of school closings, so they paid close attention to the information, Lewis says.

In addition, Lewis says she’s been running a companywide wellness campaign for several months now, so the communication about preventative measures for swine flu fits right in. Because Grande is a communications company, many employees work as technicians that go into people’s homes to repair or install equipment. She’s made a special effort to communicate with them, through their managers, about hand-washing and sanitizing and staying at least 3 feet away from people who appear to be sick.

“This year we’ve been focusing a lot on wellness issues,” Lewis says. “Swine flu precautions fall into a lot about what we’ve been telling employees to do. So, now we can say, ‘See, because you’ve been doing that, you’re probably strong enough to handle anything that comes in your way.’ ”

Texas Tech is also publicizing precautions and links, but putting special emphasis on staying calm. An e-mail from the school’s president sent to students and staff on Monday provides a link to the Web site, as well as the following message:

“I want to encourage you to be aware of what is going on, but not to panic. Follow common-sense precautions. The well-being of the Red Raider community will continue to be my top priority. We are closely monitoring the situation and keeping in regular contact with federal, state, and local agencies.”

The video posted on the school’s Web page dedicated to swine flu describes the symptoms as similar to the flu that most people have gotten at some point in their lives, along with a message of caution for the students, who are just finishing up their semester at school: “If, after the finals week is over, you were thinking about going to Mexico, I would not go to Mexico at this time. You are better off going to someplace else on the East Coast or West Coast if you want some sunshine, so don’t go to Mexico.”

Because of the school’s strong connection to agriculture, communicators say they’re trying to minimize the mention of “swine,” while still making it clear that “swine flu” is the official name for the disease. They’re also considering dispelling some rumors, such as the one making the rounds on Twitter and the Internet: the fallacy that it’s possible to get swine flu by eating pork, ham, and the like.

“We’re doing rumor control; we’re watching what people are saying in blogs, on social networks, or in social media,” Low says. “With mentions of Texas Tech, we’re staying on the proactive side rather than the reactive.”

Atlantic is busy getting precautionary information out through links and lists. In addition to easing fears of nonclinical employees and patients, it’s also publicizing information for physicians and nurses, so they know what to do if they suspect someone might be infected with swine flu.

“We’ve done the ‘Don’t panic’ message, and the other overall message is: ‘We have an emergency preparation plan; this doesn’t catch health care by surprise. We’re prepared for this,’” says Atlantic’s Scalora. “We did this first thing Monday morning, and we’ve been working nonstop since then.”