Dr. Penny Chan on the pandemic: information and communications

By: Dr. Penny Chan

We all know a lot about Covid-19, the Pandemic, and what it has meant to us individually. For some people, we have experienced feeling unwell, checking symptoms against what we hear, and either visiting a doctor, phoning a clinic, and/or deciding whether and how to get tested.

There has been a lot of information on the radio, TV, social media, posters, newsletters and “official” websites. We have heard from:

1. Politicians about the restrictions and financial supports;
2. Doctors about symptoms;
3. Public health officials about how many people are infected, how it is spread and how quickly it is spreading.

However, many of us still have questions.

There have been countless “ask me anything,” virtual town halls, frequently asked questions on TV, radio shows and various websites. It’s information overload, and often it’s conflicting information.

The pandemic goes on. Every day we learn more about the virus, its variants, and the pandemic, so the information and instructions change. Sometimes we hear conflicting opinions on what is “safe” (should we wear masks? Should schools be open or closed? Should we be more concerned about saving livelihoods, the economy or preventing the spread and saving lives?)

I personally seem to have information overload. Who do we listen to? Do we have enough credible information to make our own decisions? Have the decision-makers learned anything from this year of the pandemic? Our premiers say something different than Public Health; than doctors on the radio shows. Who do you believe?

Often the answer is somewhere in between, and this is where people with different philosophies start coming out. You could argue that it’s best to lead on the side of caution if you have the luxury to. Others are more hesitant to this drastic change of ordinary life and want hard proof before making changes to affect their livelihood and health. It’s important to acknowledge this spectrum of reactions.

The government’s role is to bring clarity to such situations and bring the nation, province, and municipality together in a unified, consistent and localized strategy. I would argue, in situations like these with a pandemic, clear and consistent communication is crucial.

The fact that the public, including myself, is feeling this information overload is a sign of a communication failure.

We need:

1. Clear, concise (consistent) information available and accessible at one official site. With links to other credible sites for further information;
2. A communications strategy headed by experts and community leaders. (In future blogs, we will explore decision-making and responsibilities).

Examples of the types of information we, as individuals, need to make our own decisions:

• The cause of the pandemic (the virus, how it is transmitted)
• How to prevent being infected and prevent transmitting to others (such as wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing)
• A detailed list of the symptoms
• When, where and how to get tested and what the results mean
• The restrictions in place by region/city
• Supports (financial, social and physical and mental health care) available (and how to access them)

We also need information on the progress of the pandemic and the risk to us, such as:

• The number of positive test results(cases) daily, as well as the testing strategy and number of tests performed) stratified by region and city, location/type of transmission (such as institutions, aged care residences, workplaces, schools, a community spread), returning travellers
• The number of cases hospitalized and deaths

To help us understand our risks and how the restrictions will help us prevent further spread, the information should be accessible at ONE location expressed in simple terms. This should include additional information, and critically important, it should contain links to reference materials, sources as well as agencies to contact for inquiries.

A coordinated communications strategy should be in place to understand that as changes are made, and new challenges arise the same site will be updated and communicated.

We want to hear from you. How do you feel about the communication around the pandemic in your local area? Do you feel overwhelmed? What would you like to see from your government leadership?

Dr. Penny Chan is a retired immunologist and member of our Spadina — Fort York riding.