Shaping The Public Health Narrative Amidst the COVID-19 Outbreak
Amidst the unprecedented challenges posed by the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, I tapped into my public relations bag to actively engage in shaping the public health narrative for a leading public health and infectious diseases university in California. I responded to media inquiries, and orchestrated press appearances as needed to address our most vulnerable populations.
Contributions
Strategic Storytelling: I wrote stories for the university website to provide updates on what our department was doing to address the crisis, and inspire the next generation of public health professionals to advance their skillset through our program. Given the uncertainty of the COVID-19 outbreak and shortage of public health professionals, time was of the essence to get more experts into the field.
Community and Media Press Engagement: I orchestrated and executed COVID-19 press conferences that reached an extensive audience, effectively disseminating crucial information to over 300,000 Facebook viewers. I also collaborated across the university to host webinars with the media and community to address sensitive topics, such as mistrust and racial disparities in public health.
Expert Placement Across Key Media Outlets: I successfully placed our experts in prominent media outlets such as CNN, NPR, NBC Bay Area, KTVU, Reuters, and Business Insider. This facilitated the dissemination of reliable and expert-driven insights to a broad spectrum of audiences, during a global crisis.
The Wall Street Journal: Just How Many People Are Infected With Coronavirus?
The New York Times: The Exponential Power of Now
The Guardian: 'Fear is not productive': what the US is getting right – and wrong – on coronavirus
Impact
The alignment of strategic communications tactics with public health initiatives showcased the power of integrated approaches in navigating unprecedented challenges.
By leveraging both marketing communications and public relations expertise, I contributed to the broader efforts aimed at addressing the complexities of the COVID-19 crisis.
