Scenario 2

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

Risk Communicator TrainingFor Foreign Animal & Zoonotic Disease

Defense

Developed by

Susan Gale, DVMCenter for Animal Health and Food SafetyCollege of Veterinary MedicineUniversity 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 blister-like 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?

Players Actions Message

State VeterinarianInvestigate source of H5N1 virus

Fair VeterinarianAnswer questions of exhibitors at fair

Animal ExhibitorsCooperate with investigation

Local health professionals, DVMs, MDs

Gather information on outbreak from reliable sources

Risk Communicators

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?

Players Actions Message

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

Risk Communicators

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