Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
H1N1 diagnosis: Confusion, frustration, anxiety
Do the experts trying to keep us safe have any idea about crisis communications?
By Julie Mason, The Ottawa Citizen
October 4, 2009
I've washed my hands so often that my fingers are as wrinkled as prunes. Bottles of hand sanitizer are the dominant feature of my home d?cor. I've learned to open washroom doors and press elevator buttons with my elbow to avoid germy contact, and I've practically dislocated my shoulder to make sure I sneeze in my sleeve.
As someone with an "underlying medical condition," I'm an anxious consumer of flu information, and I'm more than willing to do my part to fight the global pandemic. But as each day passes, I'm more and more confused about what that means.
Everyone seems to agree H1N1 is a crisis, but how big a crisis they don't know. Was the shipment of body bags to isolated native communities a colossally stupid blunder or a worrisome sign of things to come? TV news carries scenes of quarantine dorms at universities, school closings in British Columbia and flu-infested kiddies being treated in tents in front of hospitals. The next newscast brings some medical talking head telling us the pandemic is less serious than predicted.
The advice consists of wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer (done), sneeze or cough into your sleeve (done, but dry cleaning bills mounting due to snotty clothing), disinfect common surfaces (done, all doorknobs shiny) and get the flu vaccine (not done, but not for lack of trying).
There's a federal triage list for the H1N1 vaccine. First on the list are those under 65 with chronic conditions. Next are pregnant women, kids from six months to five years, people who live in isolated communities, and health-care providers. The rest of us are in a big bubble called "those who will benefit from immunization." Those over 65 are at the very bottom.
Ordinary seasonal flu kills 4,000 to 8,000 people in Canada every year, most of them seniors. H1N1 has killed just 78 people so far. So it would make sense, particularly for those over 65, to get a seasonal flu shot. However, there's been a lot of concern about one unpublished study from British Columbia that suggests people who got the seasonal flu shot are more susceptible to H1N1. As a result, some provinces are suspending or delaying the seasonal flu vaccination program.
Ontario's answer is to offer seniors the seasonal flu shot in October, then to vaccinate for H1N1 vaccine on the basis of the triaged list in November, and finally to make the seasonal flu shot available to the rest of us in December and January.
Patients aren't the only ones confused by these schedules. My doctor and her office team just shook their heads when I asked. They're also waiting for information and vaccines. And so far, I'm just talking about prevention. I haven't even begun to look at information on what to do when we get sick.
All this makes me wonder if the experts trying to keep us safe and well have any idea about crisis communications. Assuming H1N1 is a crisis, then there are some basic rules about how to communicate with the public: Be clear; be consistent; seem competent; and talk to people that other people will go to for information, like physicians.
But here's what you find when you go to the Public Health Agency of Canada's fightflu.ca website. I wanted to know if and when I should be vaccinated, so I clicked on "vaccine." A pop-up menu offered me the following choices: Pandemic Vaccine Prioritization Framework; Guidance on H1N1 Vaccine Sequencing; and a News Release on Vaccine Sequencing that came up as "file not found." Give them an Fon ability to communicate with ordinary mortals.
The government of Ontario gets higher marks for simplicity of communications. They have a nice little graphic of a five-point prevention program that ends with "Get seasonal and H1N1 flu shots." Yup, been trying to do that. They deserve an A for effort, but a D for making it so difficult to follow their own advice.
Ontario's vaccine triage list is a little different than the federal list: Seniors are at the top of the second wave in Ontario, at the bottom of the federal list. The authoritative Centre for Disease Control is different again than the federal and provincial lists. So much for consistency among those who ought to know -- give them D minus.
Then they all deserve an F for failing to seem competent. Like everyone who has dutifully followed their guidelines to get a seasonal flu shot over the years, I find it disturbing to know we may be at greater risk of H1N1. The authorities don't seem to be sure about this, and while it's interesting to see them publicly debate the issue, it sure doesn't add to our confidence.
Finally, it's our family health-care team -- doctors, nurse practitioners, school nurses and community health centres -- who we'll look to for answers. The flu gurus should be certain these people are the first to know. Big fat F for failure to communicate with key stakeholders.
In our extended household, which includes small children, seniors, 30- and 40-somethings, and those with underlying medical conditions, there's frustration and anxiety. And we're all Internet-savvy researchers and keen media watchers. Imagine how the news of pandemic feels to newcomers, those with poor literacy skills or folks without an adequate health-care network.
Much as We Respect Those in Charge of Pandemic Planning, It's Time They Stopped Debating, Discussing and Holding Endless News Conferences, and Together Started Clear, Consistent and Effective Action So Everyone Can Get the Vaccines They Need Now. It Better Happen Soon: My Pandemic Preparation Prioritization Framework Is Running Out of Clean Sleeves and Disinfecting Wipes.
? Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/H1N1+diagnosis+Confusion+frustration+anxiety/2064464/story.html
Do the experts trying to keep us safe have any idea about crisis communications?
By Julie Mason, The Ottawa Citizen
October 4, 2009
I've washed my hands so often that my fingers are as wrinkled as prunes. Bottles of hand sanitizer are the dominant feature of my home d?cor. I've learned to open washroom doors and press elevator buttons with my elbow to avoid germy contact, and I've practically dislocated my shoulder to make sure I sneeze in my sleeve.
As someone with an "underlying medical condition," I'm an anxious consumer of flu information, and I'm more than willing to do my part to fight the global pandemic. But as each day passes, I'm more and more confused about what that means.
Everyone seems to agree H1N1 is a crisis, but how big a crisis they don't know. Was the shipment of body bags to isolated native communities a colossally stupid blunder or a worrisome sign of things to come? TV news carries scenes of quarantine dorms at universities, school closings in British Columbia and flu-infested kiddies being treated in tents in front of hospitals. The next newscast brings some medical talking head telling us the pandemic is less serious than predicted.
The advice consists of wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer (done), sneeze or cough into your sleeve (done, but dry cleaning bills mounting due to snotty clothing), disinfect common surfaces (done, all doorknobs shiny) and get the flu vaccine (not done, but not for lack of trying).
There's a federal triage list for the H1N1 vaccine. First on the list are those under 65 with chronic conditions. Next are pregnant women, kids from six months to five years, people who live in isolated communities, and health-care providers. The rest of us are in a big bubble called "those who will benefit from immunization." Those over 65 are at the very bottom.
Ordinary seasonal flu kills 4,000 to 8,000 people in Canada every year, most of them seniors. H1N1 has killed just 78 people so far. So it would make sense, particularly for those over 65, to get a seasonal flu shot. However, there's been a lot of concern about one unpublished study from British Columbia that suggests people who got the seasonal flu shot are more susceptible to H1N1. As a result, some provinces are suspending or delaying the seasonal flu vaccination program.
Ontario's answer is to offer seniors the seasonal flu shot in October, then to vaccinate for H1N1 vaccine on the basis of the triaged list in November, and finally to make the seasonal flu shot available to the rest of us in December and January.
Patients aren't the only ones confused by these schedules. My doctor and her office team just shook their heads when I asked. They're also waiting for information and vaccines. And so far, I'm just talking about prevention. I haven't even begun to look at information on what to do when we get sick.
All this makes me wonder if the experts trying to keep us safe and well have any idea about crisis communications. Assuming H1N1 is a crisis, then there are some basic rules about how to communicate with the public: Be clear; be consistent; seem competent; and talk to people that other people will go to for information, like physicians.
But here's what you find when you go to the Public Health Agency of Canada's fightflu.ca website. I wanted to know if and when I should be vaccinated, so I clicked on "vaccine." A pop-up menu offered me the following choices: Pandemic Vaccine Prioritization Framework; Guidance on H1N1 Vaccine Sequencing; and a News Release on Vaccine Sequencing that came up as "file not found." Give them an Fon ability to communicate with ordinary mortals.
The government of Ontario gets higher marks for simplicity of communications. They have a nice little graphic of a five-point prevention program that ends with "Get seasonal and H1N1 flu shots." Yup, been trying to do that. They deserve an A for effort, but a D for making it so difficult to follow their own advice.
Ontario's vaccine triage list is a little different than the federal list: Seniors are at the top of the second wave in Ontario, at the bottom of the federal list. The authoritative Centre for Disease Control is different again than the federal and provincial lists. So much for consistency among those who ought to know -- give them D minus.
Then they all deserve an F for failing to seem competent. Like everyone who has dutifully followed their guidelines to get a seasonal flu shot over the years, I find it disturbing to know we may be at greater risk of H1N1. The authorities don't seem to be sure about this, and while it's interesting to see them publicly debate the issue, it sure doesn't add to our confidence.
Finally, it's our family health-care team -- doctors, nurse practitioners, school nurses and community health centres -- who we'll look to for answers. The flu gurus should be certain these people are the first to know. Big fat F for failure to communicate with key stakeholders.
In our extended household, which includes small children, seniors, 30- and 40-somethings, and those with underlying medical conditions, there's frustration and anxiety. And we're all Internet-savvy researchers and keen media watchers. Imagine how the news of pandemic feels to newcomers, those with poor literacy skills or folks without an adequate health-care network.
Much as We Respect Those in Charge of Pandemic Planning, It's Time They Stopped Debating, Discussing and Holding Endless News Conferences, and Together Started Clear, Consistent and Effective Action So Everyone Can Get the Vaccines They Need Now. It Better Happen Soon: My Pandemic Preparation Prioritization Framework Is Running Out of Clean Sleeves and Disinfecting Wipes.
? Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/H1N1+diagnosis+Confusion+frustration+anxiety/2064464/story.html
