Download Foot and Mouth Disease

Risk Communicator Training
For Foreign Animal & Zoonotic Disease
Defense
Scenario 2
Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
Developed by
Susan Gale, DVM
Center for Animal Health and Food Safety
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
In cooperation with
Risk Communication Project
Purpose of Scenario
• Apply Risk Communication principles
introduced in the training module to a fictional
event involving Foot and Mouth Disease.
• Apply knowledge of zoonotic and foreign
animal disease outbreaks to craft appropriate
messages
• Create risk and crisis communication response
strategies from the perspective of key players
Scene 1
August 30, 2009
County Fair
Anytown, USA
Cattle Barn at County Fair
• Beef and Dairy cattle are
housed together in a
barn at the Anywhere
County Fair
Fair DVM Examines Cattle
• The Fair DVM walked
through the barn and
noticed a heifer was lame
• Further examination by the
Fair DVM showed blisterlike lesions between the
heifer’s hoof on the lame
leg
Detection
• The Fair DVM suspected
FMD and called the State
Veterinarian
• Preliminary testing was
positive for FMD
• Samples are sent to Plum
Island Animal Disease
Center for confirmation of
FMD virus infection,
results take 24 hours
Key Facts About Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
• Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious
disease of cattle, swine, sheep and goats
• FMD causes blisters between hooves and in the mouth
• FMD is not contagious to people
• FMD is not the same as human hand and mouth disease
• FMD can be spread by people via contaminated clothing
or equipment
Risk Communication Part 1
• A heifer at a county fair is suspected of having
FMD and initial testing is positive, confirmation
tests are pending
• What if this happened in your county? Are you a
Risk Communicator?
• Who is your audience? What sources of
information do they have access to?
• How do you address the unknown aspects of
this situation?
Risk Communicators
Players
Actions
State Veterinarian
Investigate source of
H5N1 virus
Fair Veterinarian
Answer questions of
exhibitors at fair
Animal Exhibitors
Cooperate with
investigation
Local health
professionals, DVMs,
MDs
Gather information on
outbreak from reliable
sources
Message
Potential Spread of FMD
• Exhibitors and the public moved freely through
all barns at the Fair
• The heifer had been at the Fair for three days,
people with exposure to this heifer went home to
their own farms
• Visitors to the Fair came from many neighboring
counties
Response
• State Veterinarians puts all animals at Fair
under strict quarantine during investigation
• Board of Animal Health warning went out to
all DVMs and County officials
• No animals at heifer’s farm of origin showed
signs of FMD
Risk Communication Part 2
• Develop a message about this outbreak that you
want to deliver to your audience?
• What potential consequences can you imagine
might result from this outbreak?
• What questions can you anticipate from your
audience?
• How can you reduce the fear or outrage reaction
of your audience?
Risk Communicators
Players
Actions
Area Veterinarian in
Charge
Report investigation
findings
Board of Health
spokesperson
Assure public there is no
risk of spread among
people
Dairy and Beef Council
spokesperson
Assure public that milk
and beef are safe to eat
Local health
professionals, DVMs,
MDs
Answer questions posed
by the public
Message
Anticipating Questions
Public:
• Can I get sick from eating beef or drinking milk?
Agriculture producers:
• Are my animals safe?
• How can I insure that I’m not bringing the virus
back to my farm?
Media:
• How soon will you have the outbreak
contained?
Recovery
• Confirmatory tests are negative for FMD
• State Veterinarian lifts quarantine
restrictions
• All animals are allowed to leave the
Fairgrounds
• No depopulation was required
Risk Communication Part 3
• How does your role as a Risk Communicator
change given that this case was a false
alarm?
• Does your message change?
• How might you be better prepared in the
event of an actual FMD outbreak?
10 Best Practices in
Risk Communication
1.
Risk and crisis communication is an ongoing process
2.
Conduct pre-event (pre-crisis) planning
3.
Foster partnerships with public
4.
Listen to public’s concern & understand audience
5.
Demonstrate honesty, candor & openness
6.
Collaborate and coordinate with credible sources
7.
Meet the needs of the media and remain accessible
8.
Communicate with compassion, concern & empathy
9.
Accept uncertainty and ambiguity
10. Give people useful actions to do -- must do, should do,
could do