Public Information and Communication in a Medical Countermeasure

Public Information and Communication in a Medical Countermeasure Response A Workshop for Communicators

When an Emergency Happens. . . q Major news media will go into a spin. q Politicians will make promises and demands. q Various federal agencies will launch their emergency response teams. q The president and other government officials will be on television. q Experts we have never seen or heard before will be all over Fox News and CNN. q Rumors and misinformation will run rampant.

Today’s Goal Help state and local communicators understand their roles in the event of a medical countermeasure response.

We will cover… q q Medical Countermeasure (MCM) Response Overview Planning and Pre-incident Public Information Communicating about Dispensing Modalities Newsflash Scenario

MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURE (MCM) RESPONSE OVERVIEW

When and Why q To prepare and support partners and provide the right resources at the right time to secure the nation’s health. q When the disaster is so great, local medical supplies may not be enough q To save lives and prevent illness

Time is Critical! in Detection DELAY Days Hours s e Liv t s Lo e r o M er w Fe Shorter (1 -2 Days) DURATION of Campaign Longer (4+ Days)

Formulary Contents q Pharmaceuticals q Medical Supplies q Medical Equipment q Vaccines q Botulinum Antitoxin q Antiviral drugs

Emergency Response Concept q q q Broad Spectrum: 12 -Hour Push Package Specific Materiel: Managed Inventory Buying Power

MCM Operations SNS Assets Deployed q q Operations Logistics Federal Level RSS Warehouse (Receipt, Stage, and Store) State Level Dispensing Sites PODs Local Level

Pills In People q Mobilizing the public to and through the dispensing sites. q Providing follow-up information. Local Level

Segment 1 NEWSFLASH

“Providing information is just as important as providing medication. ” Mike Montello National Institutes of Health, 2001 PLANNING AND PRE-INCIDENT PUBLIC INFORMATION

Intent to go to a POD within 48 hours % of adults saying… 69% Very likely 21% Somewhat likely Not very likely 6% Not at all likely 4% Ø Source: Harvard Opinion Research Program, Harvard School of Public Health, December 17, 2012 – January 11, 2013.

Goals q Inform the public, the media, partners, and stakeholders regarding risks associated with the real or apparent threat, to: § Reduce fear § Mobilize the public to go to dispensing sites- where to go and what to bring § Educate the public about the medication they may receive § Provide follow-up health campaigns post-event

Without Planning q Increase fear q Waste time and human resources q Increase demand for unneeded treatment q Alienate the media q Contribute to confusion at the dispensing site q Contribute to the fear and mistrust of the government

Messages, Methods, and Materials Before, During, and After

Pre-Crisis Phase q Prepare q Foster alliances q Develop consensus recommendations q Test messages

The Public Wants to Know… q What are you doing to protect me? q What can I do to prepare? q Where will I get information? Think about these pre-incident!

Pre-Incident Campaigns q q Pre-incident materials can go out now! § What is a POD? § Where to get info during an incident § Work with the media Based on targeted research for your community § At-risk populations

Segment 2 NEWSFLASH

Segment 3 NEWSFLASH

COMMUNICATING ABOUT DISPENSING MODALITIES

Modalities of Dispensing q POD is cornerstone § Traditional § Drive-through q Alternate modalities to complement PODs

In your groups … q Develop messages q Identify audiences, methods, and materials q Choose one: § Traditional POD § Drive through or closed POD § Post-medication information

What do they want to know? What methods and materials can we use to provide information?

Informational Signs q Use signs to reinforce fact sheets q Give information in chunks q Keep it simple q Make it big q Make it interesting, or at least pleasant, to look at

Directional Signs q Pictures q Arrows q Simple language

What is wrong with this sign? 17” 11” Patient Education Station

Sign Placement is Important

Educational Videos Considerations q Language q Ambient noise q Flow

Media Concerns q Determine a place for the media q Identify person or persons responsible for media calls q Involve the media as a partner, consider including them in drills

Ideas for Consideration q Coordination with JIS/JIC q Prophylax media with first responders q “Hot” PODs q Provide media tours at points of dispensing (PODs)

More than Medication Compliance What will the public need to know when they leave the POD? q Is this all the medicine I need? q Should I call my doctor? q Who should I call if I have a reaction? q Will I have to go back to a POD? Ta k me e yo dic ur ine !

FINAL THOUGHTS

We covered… q MCM Response Overview § 48 hour response goal § SNS formulary and operations § Public information is a critical component! q Planning and Pre-incident Public Information § Messages § Methods § Materials q Communicating about Dispensing Modalities § PODs § Alternate modalities q Newsflash Scenario

SNS Extranet q SNS Extranet § www. bt. cdc. gov/stockpile/extranet § Login: Stockpile, Password: Str*teg!c q Some included resources § HORP public polling data § FDA approved drug information sheet translations § POD video

More Resources q SNS Share. Point site § www. orau. gov/sns § Registration required q Medical Countermeasure Response Trainer § http: //mcrt. train-emst. com § Registration required q At-risk populations § Workbook: www. bt. cdc. gov/workbook § e. Tool: http: //www. orau. gov/SNS/At. Risk. Tool/ q Public Information and Communication Training

Questions/Comments Bret Atkins, Ph. D Laura Ross, Ph. D batkins@cdc. gov (404) 553 -7934 lross@cdc. gov (404) 639 -2627 Health Communication Specialists Division of State and Local Readiness Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response Centers for Disease Control and Prevention