“Education and not advertising”: Expert council calls for better corona information

“Education and not advertising”
Expert council calls for better corona information

Simply explaining scientific findings, providing reliable information and recommendations for action – the Federal Government’s Corona Expert Council considers this to be essential. The committee complains that there is a lack of coordinated communication in Germany and calls for a new strategy.

The Federal Government’s Corona Expert Council calls for improvements in risk and health communication in Germany. “In order to support the individual and society in their self-efficacy and risk-aware behavior, fast-reacting, evidence-based, target group and user-specific risk and health communication is essential,” said the panel in its fifth statement. This must simply explain scientific evidence, translate it into recommendations for action and become the first choice for helpful and reliable information.

“Even if authorities and ministries are currently implementing parts of it, there is no institution in Germany that implements risk and health communication coordinated according to the principles listed below.” From the point of view of the Council, four closely interlocking building blocks are necessary for “technically sound and evidence-based health communication”:

1. Bringing together and generating the best available knowledge.

2. Translation of relevant data into target group-specific and understandable information formats. Among other things, the statement says: “The goals should be education and not advertising or persuasion (‘persuasion’).”

3. Communication via the various channels of a modern information society.

4. Review of the effects achieved and, if necessary, adjustment of the strategy.

Better information offers

According to the statement, the Expert Council therefore recommends “improving current communication and information offerings according to the principles described above”. He also suggests expanding the infrastructure for risk and health communication quickly. “To do this, the existing competencies should be bundled and missing ones supplemented. This multidisciplinary infrastructure should be technically independent.”

Virologist Christian Drosten, virologist Melanie Brinkmann and the chairwoman of the German Ethics Council, Alena Buyx, belong to the Corona Expert Council advising the federal government. All 18 members of the Council agreed with the fifth opinion.

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