Communicating risks in emergencies

WHO/Europe supports countries by providing technical support and tailored, engaging, accurate and relevant health information and advice so that at-risk and affected populations can take informed decisions to protect themselves. It does this through traditional mass media, social media, multimedia, data visualization and web, as well as through physical products such as leaflets and posters, and other two-way communication channels, such as hotlines.

In the response to emergencies, effective risk communication must be trustworthy. This involves communicating early and transparently and acknowledging the uncertainty of the emergency’s evolution – communicating what is known and what is not known and what is being done to learn more – while still maintaining credibility.

Close links with affected communities allow risk communication to reflect people’s up-to-date, on-the- ground realities. Risk communication addresses their concerns, and through social and community listening, media monitoring, and behavioural insights, it ensures that messages are related to risk perceptions, tested and tailored to needs.