Epidemiologist Shares Power Tips on Health Communication
TL/DR –
Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, a senior scientific advisor, launched the “Your Local Epidemiologist” newsletter during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide accurate public health information. She asserts that there is a wide gap between governmental health agencies and the public’s understanding, and that these agencies often avoid direct communication for fear of making mistakes. Jetelina highlights the challenges of communicating effectively during a pandemic, citing the slow recognition of COVID-19 being airborne and the politicization of protective measures like masks as major issues.
AHCJ Board President Felice Freyer and Katelyn Jetelina’s In-depth on ‘Your Local Epidemiologist’ Newsletter
In the midst of the pandemic, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina brought to life her newsletter titled “Your Local Epidemiologist.” Aimed at bridging the gap between public health science and the community, the newsletter quickly became a globally recognized source of reliable health information.
During a Q&A at the Health Journalism 2024 conference, Jetelina discussed the challenges of delivering public health information and evaluated government agencies’ performance during the pandemic.
In the discussion, Jetelina highlighted the wide chasm between public health agencies, researchers, and the broader community. She mentioned the inherent risk of communication errors and how many government bodies are reluctant to take such risks.
Jetelina, as an independent publisher, has the liberty to directly engage with the public, a freedom not granted to institutions like the CDC. She is striving to change the communication culture within these agencies as a senior scientific advisor.
Jetelina is working on transforming raw data into usable, actionable, and understandable information for the public. She also addressed some lingering questions on how government agencies responded to COVID-19.
She criticized the delay in recognizing COVID-19’s airborne nature and called it a significant mistake. Jetelina also shared her thoughts on the CDC’s handling of the H5 bird flu, praising the agency for its quick response yet giving it a B minus overall.
Jetelina discussed the unique challenge posed by the bird flu, explaining it impacts humans and animals alike. She also anticipates difficulties in promoting necessary protections against bird flu due to mask politicization during the COVID pandemic.
Jetelina recommends a persuasive approach to combat misinformation. Her primary goal is to encourage evidence-based decision making rather than decisions driven by fear or rumors.
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