Informing the Public When COVID-19 Guidelines Keep Changing
NPR's 90.5 WESA - Because COVID-19 is a very new disease, it’s normal for advice and guidelines to change, said Elizabeth Felter, a health communication researcher and assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
“It’s really challenging from a communications standpoint, particularly if people aren’t expecting to keep hearing different things,” she said.
Felter said it is incumbent on public health officials to communicate information that’s based on the most recent science. This includes modeling current recommendations, like wearing masks in public and not shaking hands.
But keeping everyone up to date is complicated by the fact that clear, consistent and frequent messaging is necessary for the public to follow best practices.
“It’s exhausting for people trying to keep up with the latest information, it’s exhausting for all the people trying to communicate the latest information,” said Felter. “Trying to be all in it together is going to be our best way through.”
That’s why Felter is a fan of the saying “My mask protests you. Your mask protects me.” But one aspect of public health communication she believes should change is the use of the term “social distancing,” in reference to recommendation that people stay six feet apart from one another.
Felter instead prefers “physical distancing;" because the pandemic has caused many emotional, financial and professional challenges, she said its important for people to be physically distant but socially connected.
“I think on of our worst missteps was when we in the beginning was calling this whole thing ‘social distancing.’ Really, the very last thing we want is to be socially distant,” she said.
The World Health Organization modified its language months ago, but the term has stuck. Felter acknowledged that it's difficult to change this kind of public health messaging once its use has become so widespread.
“But I think we need to try," she added.
Dr. Felter is among the Pitt Public Health faculty who are directly supporting the Allegheny County Health Department during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Informing The Public When COVID-19 Guidelines Keep Changing by SARAH BODEN/NPR's WESA 90.5FM, May 27, 2020
5/27/2020