Navigating Through Vaccine Communications
ANGHARAD AND MIKE- PODTEXT
Greetings - the implication of the COVID-19 vaccines being distributed around the world is a subject of massive discussion. But what about the impact of the vaccine and its distribution for communicators - particularly those directly involved in its delivery and distribution? Addressing this are Angharad Bhardwaj, an active communication professional and Communication Manager with an international health care organization, GenesisCare, and Mike Klein, Senior Advisor to Smarp Strategic Services and Principal of Changing The Terms.
MIKE
The big story of the coming half-year will be the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines around the world. It’s most important to remember that it’s not just one vaccine, and it isn’t going to be one process. Each country will have its own rollouts, and some countries will have multiple rollouts at different times.
ANGHARAD
The New York Times put out a piece last weekend- highlighting the similarities of the vaccine rollout in the UK, U.S., and Canada, and the differences. (Link Article Here). One main point is that some countries have a centralized system that will allow for coordinated rollouts, such as the NHS and the UK. In contrast, others will vary on micro levels like the U.S., where each state is responsible for policy and rollout of the vaccine. The question is, how do you direct communications strategies when there are multiple layers and levels of policy and access.
MIKE
That’s precisely what I’m talking about. Canada and the US are federal systems where each province or state has its own approach. The US has a private system to boot, making the US approach extremely unpredictable.
The differing approaches have massive implications both for companies and the people who work for them. Not only from an internal communication perspective but from an HR and operations perspective.
ANGHARAD
Exactly, so how do we start mapping out our communication strategies and advise our stakeholders on best practices, given the complexities of policies and rollout?
MIKE:
Before mapping anything out, it’s crucial to think about what needs to be mapped. There are a number of moving parts. Availability of vaccine - locations and quantities. Preferences for different types of patients? Front-line vs. elderly? Children vs the ill? Prices and payments for vaccines? There’s a lot of talk about black market vaccines in the U.S. - both legit and illicit versions. Insured vs. uninsured patients?
So from a communication perspective, there are a number of angles. Should our role be to facilitate the official plan? Or should it be to challenge the official plan where it has economic or moral shortcomings?
ANGHARAD
Agreed, we must first ask ourselves what is our over-arching goal as we put together communications strategies? Given the complexities mentioned, where do we start, and how do we sift through the chaos of research, guidelines, articles, and build our stories in order to communicate effectively?
As communications professionals, what are our high-level starting points to help advise, guide, and build strategic communications for our employees, stakeholders, and other audiences?
MIKE
We need to decide if we are going to be part of the civil support for the official plan, support our companies in trying to get the best possible outcome or provide guidance and care to employees.
Angharad and I spoke before we jumped in here about “navigating the chaos” - I think the most important thing with navigation is to decide what our best possible destination should be. With my IC hat, it would be “getting as many of my employees vaccinated as quickly and safely as possible.”
Even assuming that as everyone’s goal, the pathways in different countries and regions are different. Some pathways will be slow but intuitive, others may offer differing speeds for those better qualified to play the system.
ANGHARAD
Great questions and considerations, Mike.
I would apply my communications lens of reputation management and strategic communications in the healthcare space - an advisable goal is to ensure stakeholders such as physicians or patients felt supported when navigating questions funneled through multiple channels.
For example, those questions may derive from our physicians and patient relationships or our physicians’ relationships with external audiences. Those complex relationships mean that many medical professionals and scientists are viewed as trusted sources. They could be asked to comment as an expert on a media piece or lead as an example in their communities.
MIKE
You mention “story” - and one thing that emerges from this discussion is that there is probably one internal communication metastory when it comes to employees. One:
“We want to help you get vaccinated, and we are doing what we can to make that possible as quickly as possible.” If you’re not saying some version of that, it might be best not saying anything at all.
Now, if you are actually involved in health care and potentially the delivery and distribution of vaccines, the stories are more diverse and perhaps more complicated.
ANGHARAD
Right and building out communications strategies - considering various audiences like your internal teammates that also cross-over to external audiences just adds a layer of complexity. If I were to break it down to 3 starting points to consider, I would look to considerations and get a sense of:
- First: Who are your trusted sources within your organization and externally, such as physicians’, scientists, CDC, NHS, WHO
- Within that question asking yourself,
- Who are your “Influencers” within your organization and externally
- Second, to communicate effectively- is telling a story a solid strategy?
- Third, a reoccurring theme and research have also demonstrated that 2020 is the year of empathetic communication - how to lead with empathetic communication strategies (void of bias)?
MIKE
This is a very interesting perspective - there’s an internal/external convergence angle here that’s quite substantial. Many employees in health care are conveying official - or unofficial - messages to patients, who then spread them in their communities. In medical conversations of any type this year, the vaccine will be topic numero uno. Even if you are working for a private specialist clinic and the vaccine is out of scope, that will not be obvious to the patient. Confusion or disinformation will spread easily.
ANGHARAD
This is why navigating the chaos is a much bigger issue than just about the vaccine providers and the recipients.
As we speak on considerations and navigating all the “chaos” of information overload, what would be universal key watch-outs?
- Choose your words carefully, and be sure not to alienate audiences by taking a particular position (unless mandated by law). Meaning, be careful not to build bias in your communications.
- Rely on expert and law to layout communications strategies:
- Look to the published science, research, and federal (national) agencies to guide your communications.
- I would recommend not to stray away from what is already published by agencies such as the CDS, NHS, WHO - utilize those tools and point your audiences in the direction of those authorities on the matter.
- Build trust
MIKE
Yes, it’s crucial to get the facts straight. But it’s important to remember that “context is everything” The main thing is that not everyone can be first. To the maximum extent possible, our first duty to the process is to preserve the goodwill in the system until everyone gets their turn, and to support the system in doing so fairly. Only if the system is clearly being unfair or inept is there case to propose and champion alternatives.
ANGHARAD
One hundred percent and we will need to rely on our already outlined COVID communications to direct our audiences back in the meantime. ( For example, we have our safe and open campaign- how to continue your radiation treatments while keeping our patients and our staff safe.)
ANGHARAD
As we move into 2021, strategy and themes around the pandemic have taught us as communications professionals that there is a focus on implementing more empathetic communications. You are now getting to know your audiences like you never knew before. We certainly will not be the same, but how do we continue on this trajectory of the importance of communications plays in an organization? Well sounds like another podcast discussion!
Quick reference links:
- The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/12/world/americas/covid-vaccine-us-uk-canada.html
- Institute of Public Relations: https://instituteforpr.org/a-communicators-guide-to-vaccines/
- Cropley Comms: https://www.cropleycomms.com/insights/articles/nine-opportunities-for-2021-changing-the-game-for-communicators-and-the-organizations-they-work-for