COVID-19 insights for communicators in 2021

The effects of the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic will last for years around the world. Communication professionals and organizational management need to understand the global and local impact of the virus and its variants. You can update and increase your understanding of all important aspects of a virus response so you know the best ways to communicate. By reading articles listed below you will increase your wide understanding, these COVID-19 insights for communicators include key management perspectives. You will also demonstrate to senior management your valuable role in the organization, because the crisis has proven the importance of good communication as a vital part of the decision-making process. Also read my article, “COVID-19 vaccination persuasion: 12 powerful techniques to achieve results.”

Global summary

The World Economic Forum gives this overview:

COVID-19 has had an overwhelming impact since it was first detected in late 2019. By the end of May 2021, there were more than 160 million confirmed cases and some 3.5 million recorded deaths – though the actual death toll may be significantly higher. As the pandemic has spread, it has stirred anxiety and political drama, overwhelmed health systems, and triggered potentially lasting geopolitical change. While vaccines are being rolled out in high-income countries, others have gone without, and half a billion people could be pushed into poverty as a result of the crisis. Around the world, desperate efforts are underway to contain what has become a profoundly disruptive outbreak.

(Above image: World Economic Forum COVID Action Platform.)

Resources

Associated Press has compiled a Coronavirus Topical Guide, an alphabetical list of many COVID-19 related terms.
Chartered Institute of Public Relations of the UK has a mental health section in its website to help employers and individuals.
Drugwatch, a US consumer advocacy organization, has published a consumer’s guide to COVID-19, and a guide on how to deal with mental health issues such as anxiety in this time of extra stress caused by the pandemic.
Gallup’s COVID-19 data resources include a Coronavirus Pandemic Topics A to Z page – where you can find individual survey questions with full trends. Also, links to all of Gallup’s articles about the pandemic are available on this master list of COVID-19 news articles, sorted by topic.
Harvard Business Review publishes an “Insight Center” on the virus, as above, to help people who are “leading and working through a pandemic.”
Institute for Public Relations has published an “IPR COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Resource Center” web page, which has links to several vaccination research topics and other resources. Important reading for communicators.
McKinsey runs frequent updates on its COVID Response Center, which “draws on what McKinsey and others have learned to provide leaders with resources to help reset their organizations and communities.” You can subscribe to McKinsey’s free newsletter and information here or via any of their article pages.
MITSloan Management Review has a COVID-19 Resources page containing “expert insights and strategies for managers during the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Ragan posts a “Crisis Communications Daily” email newsletter containing the latest news, information and advice about responding to COVID-19. You can subscribe here at no cost. Inclusiveness: Also, Ragan has published an “Inclusive Language Toolkit,” which provides handy advice on What an inclusive language toolkit should cover.
The FrameWorks Institute gives free, valuable guidance on the most effective ‘big picture’ messages to use when discussing COVID-19. For instance, framing the post-pandemic economy and talking about what comes next. The World Economic Forum publishes a regularly updated “COVID Action Platform,” which contains a lot of ‘macro’ information about the pandemic for organizations and business sectors globally. You can subscribe here at no cost.
This is Home UK has produced ‘Working Out Our New Normal – Your COVID-19 communications resource.’ This page offers several downloadable ‘toolkits’ including an ‘Internal communications COVID-19 support toolkit.’ Some helpful info here.
Broadband Search has compiled a list of 16 internet learning resources for adults, which is a welcome source for online career-related information and learning during this time of the pandemic.

Update your COVID-19 insights for communicators

The articles below are listed alphabetically within broad topics to make them easier to find. The list is up to date as at 10 June 2021.

COVID-19 insights for communicators in 2021

Global summary

Resources

Update your COVID-19 insights for communicators

Careers

Communication Strategy

COVID-19 Communication

Employee and personal communication

Organizational leadership, strategy and management

Personal, family health and mental health

PR management

Recovery, response, return to work, reopening, safety at office

Remote employees, WFH

Trends, surveys, factual information

Vaccines

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