Outreach
to persons who may have special needs or issues that distinguish them
from the general public during an outbreak of SARS will be especially
important. First responders and their families, healthcare workers
and medical/hospital support personnel, and transportation officials
will all have special needs for information -- either to be able to
perform their jobs or to ensure that their own concerns about exposure
and protection are being addressed.
Local communications staff will need to establish a daily routine for
coordinating and communicating with partner organizations regarding community
education and outreach activities and needs, with briefings arranged
as needed. Cooperation and understanding among all the involved agencies
will greatly enhance the success of the community outreach/community
relations operation. It will be important to work closely with local
health departments' education and community outreach staff members, who
can offer valuable insights into issues that are relevant to the community.
Communication
staff should make use of the resources of the ECS and JIC to facilitate
coordination and management of community relations activities. Community
outreach staff, health education, and public health information officers
from a wide range of federal, state, and local agencies will need to
work side-by-side to appropriately handle community information needs.
Suggested community relations activities include the following:
- Develop
and maintain a contact list of key community partners, and establish
regular briefings, ideally on a daily basis. Include members of healthcare
organizations and transportation officials involved in the response.
- Work
with healthcare providers and other affected workers (e.g., transportation
personnel) to identify and address relevant issues. Staff members are
much more likely to feel confident in carrying out their duties if
they feel that their risks, and the risks to their families, are being
addressed and minimized.
- Establish
a community telephone line to respond to the questions and concerns
of state and local healthcare providers, pharmacists, transportation
personnel, persons under isolation or quarantine, and other special
populations as appropriate. Work with partners to implement a resource
and referral list for phone line staff.
- Work
with local partners and response personnel to coordinate communication
and health education activities by identifying needs and reporting
on activities that have been planned and executed. Activities may include:
1) information campaigns for affected groups, 2) education campaigns
and activities for healthcare providers, including first responders;
3) education and communication with state and community personnel involved
in meeting community needs or community actions designed to prevent the
spread of the disease, and 4) activities to ensure that persons under
isolation or quarantine have access to needed supplies or services.
- Tailor
communication and education services and messages to affected communities.
This may include meeting with community partners to identify specific
community resources that can be utilized and secured.
- Develop
a list of healthcare facilities in the community that can be used for
information dissemination and health education activities. Coordinate
with CDC staff in initiating contact with healthcare workers. Cross-train
key partners to assist in education and outreach efforts.
- In
coordination with epidemiologic and medical personnel, obtain and
track information daily on the numbers and location of new cases,
new quarantined persons, and hospitals with SARS cases. Use these
reports to determine priorities among community outreach and education
efforts.
- Provide
feedback to and coordinate with the JIC for distribution of information
and identification of information needs.
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