Breaking through the clout of COVID19 dominated public and media discourse

The ANALYSIS

COVID-19 has clout. Real clout. Not just the disastrous health clout. But also policy, news, public and private dialogue clout.

Key indicators for any successful communication and media strategy are that the issue in question is the central theme for discussions within the family, amongst friends and in communities; is predominant in news coverage; and, dominates national and local policy debate and development. The first of those - public discourse - is also a key predictor of change; positive or negative. It all depends on how accurate is the information that dominates that discourse and the associated levels of social organisation. By any definition COVID-19 is a very successful communicator - with very negative results.

This poses a challenge for polio. Effectively positioning polio as a national priority in endemic and outbreak countries - something to be taken seriously and acted on substantively at scale - required (and still requires) public engagement and discourse. Polio definitely wants (needs) people in their family and community contexts to "chat" about polio in person and through social media - with those "chats" based around accurate information. Polio wants policy makers to give polio a high priority related to both strategy and resources. It wants the news media to cover and maintain polio as a core, reasonably high profile, news focus. The all pervasive COVID-19 threatens to close out any space for that dynamic to happen related to polio. There is just no room at present and perhaps in the medium term future.

This difficulty is compounded by numbers and identity. It is very possible that COVID-19 has shone a comparative light on the fact that the polio numbers and the scale of the population impacted are really tiny. COVID-19 has big numbers and is everywhere. As are other single issues in what is a very competitive development market place. The polio initiative identity, despite its association now with soap and other commodities, is still separate and distinct. It is therefore vulnerable when health and development priorities are ascertained post-the-worst of COVID-19; and resource allocations are made by governments and major international funders.

From that perspective, as polio plans to transition back from its COVID-19 emergency help operation to a primary focus on polio itself, a key communication challenge will be how to reclaim even a portion of the local and national public and policy discourse. Securing that space will be essential for strong polio eradication action in a post-the-worst of COVID-19 environment. It is vital for continued revenue flows at the levels required for eradication. How can that be achieved?

This is a unique situation. There has never been a single development issue - not climate change, not HIV/AIDS, not Ebola, not even smallpox or poverty - that has been so dominant and domineering across all aspects of human life. Consequently, there is no built-up experience, no set of demonstrated strategies and no agreed programming initiatives - communication or non-communication - on which to draw and act. But from those and other health and development crises, past and ongoing, it is possible to predict some of the policy and strategy actions that will happen. And it is vital, as an essential part of the polio communication portfolio moving forward, that it is engaged in those actions and processes.

Five suggestions follow. These are starting points. Every situation will be different. From starting points such as those below, strategies and actions will evolve specific to each context. The key principle at the heart of each of these is a Development form of strategic jujitsu. Taking advantage of the power and presence of COVID-19, in order maintain the highest priority, in this case, for polio communication and eradication.     

The STRATEGIES

Polio Communication Clout Strategy One: PRIORITIES

Link polio to a broader national development priority revealed by COVID-19.

No other single development issue is likely to be as omni-present as COVID-19 when it comes to public, policy and news attention and discourse. Other single issue initiatives, such as polio, are likely to struggle in that space. One communication-driven response is to position that single issue, in this case polio, as one part of the solution to a broader development issue exposed by COVID-19. An issue that resonates broadly with people, communities, policy makers and news media. An issue that is equally shared and felt across populations. A few examples as a starter for this discussion:

    a. In all countries COVID-19 has exposed the often huge weaknesses in health systems; for example coverage and equity. This will be a major concern and focus of significant public and media discourse moving forward. The role of communication in future health systems will be critical. Could polio position itself as a serious and significant force related to that issue? It is in polio's best interest that there is a universal, high quality heath system.

   b.  COVID-19 has exposed the information, knowledge and participation deficiencies in communities that are not digitally connected or are poorly or expensively connected. This is an issue shared by polio and the full range of development issues. It affects their strategies and programmes. These are often the most vulnerable communities. Could polio attach itself, as a serious partner, contributing to making progress on this very real concern. A fully wired country is in polio's best interests.

These are examples only. They are provided to exemplify the core principle required - link polio to a broader national development priority revealed by COVID-19. 
 

Polio Communication Clout Strategy Two: REVIEWS

Become the convenor for the communication focus within any national reviews post-the-worst of COVID-19.

Almost every country in the world will be undertaking some form of national review post-the-worst of COVID-19. This includes the polio endemic and outbreak countries. There will also be global reviews. (WHO just announced one.) Some serious communication-related issues will be posed. There are three reasons why polio communication can and should make the argument that it leads (or at minimum plays a significant role) on the communication related elements of post-the-worst of COVID-19 national reviews in the endemic and outbreak countries; and at global level.

     a. Polio communication has a demonstrated track-record of communication strategies and actions that have led the  globe to the brink of polio eradication. It also has the person-power and budget to be an active part of any reviews.

     b. Effective global, national and local reviews will require extensive population engagement. Without the perspective and voices of the people most affected, any reviews will be flawed. Through its mobilizer strategy and community engagement networks, polio communication has the tools and experience to lead on the communication aspects of any reviews. The same applies to media.

     c. Of all the international agencies the polio programme is most familar with reviews and advisory groups - the number of country, regional and global reviews and advisory groups is too many to count; from an Afghanistan Communication Review to the Independent Monitoring Board. 

Of course this engagement and leadership role will also help to ensure that there is a full and properly considered deliberation on the importance of polio post-the-worst of COVID-19.  
    

Polio Communication Clout Strategy Three: DATA

Based on its extensive data driven programming, help to communicate, in ways that engage the general population and policy makers, (a) the data produced from COVID-19 and (b) the data gaps exposed by COVID-19

 
COVID-19 has exposed severe data and research indicator issues at global, national and local levels. There is still a debate about the accuracy of the data being produced, the significant limitations of the segmentation of that data and the rights implications for the data that is being newly generated. Just three examples: even something as basic, and one would assume definitive, as death rates is being debated; many countries have no (or very little) segmentation by socio-economic status or ethnic minority group in their data; and, the digital tracking tools poses very serious rights challenges.

These are also data issues that confront polio. As the eradication struggle continues in both endemic and present and future outbreak countries there is a need to know much more about the social, contextual and perception status and conditions in order to facilitate an improved polio eradication communication response. Digital/mobile is an increasingly important part of the polio communication struggle.

Leading on the public and policy discourse related to these data challenges and issues provides a way to ensure that the polio communication challenges are on the table. 

Polio Communication Clout Strategy FOUR: NETWORKS

Consolidate and grow the polio communication and media networks; making these available for more general post-the-worst of COVID-19 communication requirements and strategies. 

COVID-19 does not present as a simply messaged development issue. The facts keep changing - eg related to children. It directly affects all aspects of the llfe of communities and countries - education, economics, health systems, internal and international travel, religious worship, the nature of work and so much more. Responses in one context may be neither possible nor workable in others - for example social distancing and regular handwashing. Different people are affected in different ways - from medical staff to often poorly paid service workers and on to migrant populations. Getting a handle on COVID-19 is like trying to pick up a vapour. Of course this is all further complicated by the rumours and misinformation that thrive in conditions of uncertainty, fear and threat.  

In a situation such as the challenge presented by COVID-19 the required response is an extensive and active communication network on a platform that brings together journalists, writers, community leaders, subject specific experts, broadcasters, advocates and other key communicators. Platformed networks provide the peer-to-peer opportunities to check new facts, review accuracy, discuss new developments and knowledge, explore ways to respond to rumours  and misinformation, assess the communities or parts of communities that are being missed and much more. It meets the challenge of the very fluid situation that is presented by COVID-19 with a focused, flexible, quick and  inclusive response. 

Polio communication is well placed to convene such a network; which brings with it an influential role that includes the inclusion on non-COVID-19 development issues, including polio. In many countries polio communication already has an extensive network - from national communicators such as leading journalists to key local communicators in their communities. This is a base to build upon.     

Polio Communication Clout Strategy Five: LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS

Tap into the support for and engagement of local decision-makers that has been a hallmark of the polio communication strategy and lead an overall process the draws from the knowldge and relationships developed.

COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of local decision-makers in the context of national guidance. There was nothing automatic about people confining themselves in their homes, staying 6 feet away from their fellow citizens, wearing a mask, shuttering their businesses, closing schools, not traveling and much else. The social contract we all "signed" to make these happen had much to do with local decision-makers. In their local contexts, be they elected officials, religious leaders, community organisation decision-makers or others they led specific to those locales, including the interpretation and implementation of the national guidance in their settings.  

The progress and requirements of the polio eradication initiative means that polio communication has extensive experience in working with local decision-makers; often in very difficult contexts that necessitate the development and application of sophisticated knowledge and skills. As the number of polio cases reduced local decision-makers become ever more important. And the contexts become more difficult. As did the skills required to work with that local leadership.

One of the legacies of COVID-19 is that local decision-makers will be increasingly important across all development issues - a direct fall-out from the roles they were asked to play and the responsibilities they actioned. This can not be undone. It will heighten the need for working relationships with and networks amongst and between these local decision-makers.

Polio communication is ideally placed to lead the process of deepening and extending working relationships with local decision-makers.

In CONCLUSION 

COVID-19 poses some hugely difficult communication challenges for the communication strategies focused on other development issues. The power and influence of COVID-19 can not be ignored. But it does provide some opportunities. National priority making; local, national and global reviews; data gap identification gathering, and analysis; networks; and the role of and relationships with local decision-makers provide major opportunities to strengthen communication action on specific pre-COVID development priorities, and on COVID-19 itself. 

Please critique, review and comment. We are keen to improve this draft.