“Anxiety Is Contagious”

by | Feb 5, 2021 | Uncategorized

Crisis PR Tips to Calm Down a Public, Employees, People WHO Panic

I’ve been thinking about the numbers game. There is still a greater likelihood of death from other causes (car crashes, etc.) than COVID-19.

Ten years ago, I was calming the public down about H1N1 (swine flu) and the advice then was so similar – wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds, cough into your elbow (not your hands), don’t touch your face. 

Yes, it’s more contagious, and the risk of death is higher than other strains of the flu. Yes, it is spreading quickly. The World Health Organization (WHO) also says it may be the first pandemic that we can control. We’re not at the mercy of this disease if we prevent its spread, the WHO leaders advise.

What also is contagious is anxiety about this globally. Social media as a news source is tricky as fear spreads so quickly and “catches on.” My doctor friends’ posts (intended to calm us down) get drowned out. Ebola was like this. I’m in Google’s Women in Publishing Leadership 2020 cohort, and 1,000 women worldwide discussed it today. 

Here are 3 things to do to calm anxiety:

  1. Get the facts from scientists and reputable news sources
  2. Follow the prevention tips recommended by the World Health Organization and trusted leaders in science and medicine. Washing our hands for 20 seconds works wonders as staying 3 feet away and not touching our face. If you do feel ill, stay home. If you’re sick, please don’t visit a nursing home or go out right now.
  3. Try to limit fear triggers (pictures of people in masks; fear that a cough or sniffle isn’t just a cold…it’s the pandemic; fear of going outside/of other people). Social isolation isn’t good either. We feel strong emotions first, and then apply logic (Ask yourself logical questions such as, “Is it 100% true that your sniffle is COVID-19?” ) Limiting non-essential travel is good. Panic is bad.

The Publicity Club of Chicago still plans to host its #Healthcare Media Lunch & Pitch tomorrow 11:45 am-1:30 pm at Magginos (Clark & Grand). COVID-19 will be on it. I’m off to vote and then back to drafting a client communications plan for COVID-19. 

Several PR Professionals globally are sharing our internal and external communications plans to assist the global effort of communicating scientifically accurate information. If you are a company, nonprofit, or government entity that could use a hand, we can help you out.

Schedule a free 20-minute consult on how to communicate about COVID-19 and keep your employees calm.