Crisis Communications: An Examination of the SARS

Crisis Communications: An Examination of the SARS Outbreak and Implications for Communications

The SARS outbreak of 2003 presented a definite crisis for the Centers for Disease Control. Not only was the potential for an epidemic a matter of immediate practical concern, but the organization had to deal with inaccurate and incomplete information coming from China (where the outbreak originated), a lack of knowledge regarding he disease itself, and other complicating factors that limited the avenues of action that could be taken. The communications aspect of this crisis was especially important, as it was only through proper public warning and education that the outbreak could be effectively controlled and a true epidemic avoided, while at the same time the reputation of the CDC was at stake. The following pages will examine the communications implications of this crisis.

Identifying the Crisis

The SARS crisis is not easily defined according to the categories presented. In part a natural disaster and in part a crisis of deception for the CDC, the way in which the information and actions related to SARS needs to be dealt with is highly sensitive and complex. The outbreak constitutes a natural disaster in that the root of the problem doesn't lie with human fault or error, and there is no blame for the fact that the virus causing the disease exists (Natural Disasters). At the same time, information coming -- and not coming -- from China and from other sources presents a substantial difficulty to effectively dealing with the issues in this case, and while the CDC itself is quite wary of presenting misinformation or inaccurate data or conclusions to the public, there are still elements of this crisis that are analogous to a more typical case of a crisis of deception (Crises of Deception; Crisis Com Issues).

The management strategies that will be necessary to deal with this issue on both the natural disaster and the crisis of deception fronts are in some ways quite similar, and in other areas quite separate and diverse. Four strategic elements or factors that have been identified as especially important for dealing with a natural disaster are mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, as well as effectively understanding and coping with the role of the news media in such events (Natural Disasters). This latter issue is of special relevance and importance in this case, as public awareness is a major part of the mitigation, preparedness, and response activities of the CDC when it comes to a potential epidemic, and the news media is vital in achieving this public awareness. When it comes to a potential crisis of deception, necessary management strategies include ending any and all releases of misinformation/inaccurate information, engaging in more thorough research, and providing full and timely reports to media outlets and other parties that are entirely open and honest regarding the current state of knowledge and the progress of the underlying crisis (Crises of Deception). Ethical issues in this case revolve heavily around the aspect of honesty and full disclosure, with the right to full, complete, and accurate knowledge by the populous and other members of the healthcare community vastly outweighing any institutional concerns the CDC might have about its lack of information or direct preparedness (Importance of Ethics). Maintaining public health through public knowledge is paramount here.

Contingency Plan

There should definitely be a contingency plan in place for events such as the SARS outbreak, and while it seems evident that the CDC had such a plan it is valuable to review the major points of such a plan and how it would apply here. Identifying all areas of vulnerability and listing/prioritizing all various parties/public entities that should be informed about progress with the plan and response should be made and implemented such that resources are kept on the ready for all various contingencies (Contingency Planning). Using a single voice or at the very least a highly cohesive series of communications to address/inform the media and the public is also a means of ensuring that the real issue of public safety is viewed as a paramount concern by all, and this will actually help protect the CDC's reputation, as well (Contingency Planning; Crisis Com Issues). By its very nature, the CDC will only be dealing with problems that aren't truly controllable or predictable, so maintaining a proper set of contingency procedures and ensuring the rapid and full notification of the media and the public about developments is an essential task of the organization.

Handling Communication