COVID-19 Communications 3.0

And we’re back…
 
Things are not trending well when it comes to COVID-19.
 
After a brief hopeful stretch in which it looked like we might knock the virus down for the count, we are now seeing a resurgence of COVID nationwide, with some areas barreling back toward crisis mode. 
 
This turn comes at a challenging time for communicators – especially since many of us have already started creating forward-looking messaging. 
 
But if we’ve learned anything over the past 18 months, it’s that we need to be flexible and ready to change quickly. With that in mind, here are three thoughts on ways to communicate about COVID-19 in the weeks ahead. 
 

Hit pause on “post-pandemic”
Whether it was wishful thinking or the then-valid perceptions of reality, a lot of communicators (myself included) framed messaging that assumed we were headed toward a post-pandemic world. It now appears we are a long way from post pandemic…if it ever arrives at all. The safest bet moving forward is to acknowledge the major shifts that occur – one of which we seem to be knee-deep in already.

We’re all in this together
Whether you’re communicating with internal or external audiences, steer clear of the “vaccines are a matter of personal freedom” messaging and focus on how we can all work together to conquer COVID-19 once and for all. Misinformation and ambiguity regarding vaccines are causing suffering and costing lives. If some segments of your audience force you to walk a fine line, look for a work-around to the “it’s your choice” messaging, such as encouraging everyone to talk to their personal physician about the vaccine and how we’re all in this together and we all play a part in moving forward.

Talk about it -- again
When’s the last time leaders at your organization shared a meaningful message regarding COVID-19, beyond its day-to-day impact on your operations? If you’re stumped by the question, then it may be time to re-engage leadership to consider communications that talk about the ongoing crisis. We’ve all been through a lot and appear to be headed for a challenging stretch. It will take strong leadership to keep weary employees and audiences engaged. Authentic, empathetic messaging from senior leaders can help remind people that they are appreciated and that, ultimately, we are all in this together.

A final suggestion
Give yourself some well-deserved credit. Professional communicators in our view are essential workers who have done the incredibly important job of keeping people well informed through the ongoing crisis. You’ve made a difference. Keep it up.