The role of risk communication in public health interventions. An analysis of risk communication for a community quarantine in Germany to curb the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Abstract

Background Separating ill or possibly infectious people from their healthy community is one of the core principles of non-pharmaceutical interventions. However, there is scarce evidence on how to successfully implement quarantine orders. We investigated a community quarantine for an entire village in Germany (Neustadt am Rennsteig, March 2020) with the aim of better understanding the successful implementation of quarantine measures. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Neustadt am Rennsteig six weeks after the end of a 14-day mandatory community quarantine. The sample size consisted of 562 adults (64% of the community), and the response rate was 295 adults, or 52% (33% of the community). Findings National television was reported as the most important channel of information. Contact with local authorities was very limited, and partners or spouses played a more important role in sharing information. Generally, the self-reported information level was judged to be good (211/289 [73.0%]). The majority of participants (212/289 [73.4%]) approved of the quarantine, and the reported compliance was 217/289 (75.1%). A self-reported higher level of concern as well as a higher level of information correlated positively with both a greater acceptance of quarantine and self-reported compliant behaviour. Interpretation The community quarantine presented a rare opportunity to investigate a public health intervention for an entire community. In order to improve the implementation of public health interventions, public health risk communication activities should be intensified to increase both the information level (potentially leading to better compliance with community quarantine) and the communication level (to facilitate rapport and trust between public health authorities and their communities).

‘Boat Quarantine’: Lessons Learned from SARS-CoV-2 Prevention and Control Measures in Fishing Communities in Thailand

“…Boat quarantine is effective in terms of monitoring and controlling who is actually onboard a fishing boat. However, to implement community quarantine measures, there is a need to enhance public health risk communication activities both at the information and the communication levels [ 3 ].…”

“…In order to control SARS-CoV-2, many countries subsequently implemented emergency measures, including multilateral health surveillance systems [ 1 , 2 ]. Notably, quarantine schemes have been adopted in many countries, such as China, Germany, and the Philippines [ 3 ]. A community quarantine scheme against SARS-CoV-2 was implemented in Anhui, that was led by community committees largely made up of public servants.…”

Ein neues Verständnis von Risikokommunikation in Public-Health-Notlagen

“…So wurde am Beispiel einer orthodoxen jüdischen Gemeinschaft demonstriert, wie ein Verständnis des Wertesystems einer Gemeinschaft dazu beitragen kann, eine Gesundheitskrise gemeinschaftlich zu meistern [ 38 ]. Eine aktuelle Untersuchung zur Risikokommunikation der Quarantäne für ein gesamtes Dorf zu Beginn der Coronapandemie zeigt die Bedeutung von sozialen Zusammenhängen auf, die sowohl für die Virusverbreitung relevant sind als auch die Kommunikation zwischen Bevölkerung und Gesundheitsämtern erleichtern – und von der Public-Health-Risikokommunikation stärker genutzt werden sollte [ 39 ]. Zudem bieten die neuen technischen Möglichkeiten des 21.…”

An exploration of Canadian government officials’ COVID-19 messages and the public’s reaction using social media data

“…To this end, they need to communicate all the mitigation strategies to their citizens and make them aware of all faced risks. The importance of risk communication during public health emergencies has been consistently highlighted in the literature [13][14][15][16]. Risk communication describes any purposeful exchange of information about risks between interested parties (e.g., such as from a government organization to the public) [17].…”