Is Your Crisis Communication Plan Prepared for a Pandemic?

Managing Your Crisis Communication Plan for A Pandemic

During major pandemic outbreaks like the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, organizations are better able to manage, mitigate, and respond if they have taken the necessary precautions beforehand; preparing a Pandemic Preparedness Plan, training staff on how best to respond to a pandemic, incorporating pandemic measures into their Business Continuity Plan.

However, one key preparation that is sometimes marginalized is the need for a Pandemic Crisis Communications Plan.

And the importance of the Pandemic Crisis Communication Plan can be summed up in one word: reputation.

The Pandemic Crisis Communication Plan prepares the organization to safeguard the organization's reputation in multiple ways:

Establish the Pandemic Crisis Communication Team

• Crisis Communications Team Leader
• Spokesperson(s)
• Media Monitoring team member
• Media Coordinator
• Social Media Coordinator

Identify the possible avenues of communication

• Target Audience
• Communication Goals
• Key messages
• Customized messages for the individual target audience

Prepare standby materials to be sent out to target audiences during a Pandemic

• Holding statements
• Press Releases

Do You Want to Continue Training During A COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak?