Press Briefing

Prepare for the radio show by jotting down questions you expect to get from the public, and then answers you can give using the key messages.

Key Messages

Thirty people have been hospitalized with what looks like a highly contagious flu virus.
Our state lab is running the specimens now. We'll update you as soon as we know more.
We realize that many people may be concerned about the spread of illness.
You can reduce your chance of getting sick by washing your hands frequently with soap and water or using hand sanitizer. Avoid crowded areas whenever possible, and make sure to get plenty of rest.
Please call our Flu Hotline to speak to a nurse if you experience symptoms that are like the flu, such as the sudden onset of fever, sore throat, and fatigue.

Press Conference Activity

Instructions: Type responses to the questions using the key messages. Compare your suggestions to those from a risk communication expert.

“If this flu is as contagious as the one in Southeast Asia, New York, and Los Angeles, it seems like the only way to protect yourself is to stay at home. Is that what you're recommending that people do?”

I’m sure that anyone who’s watching the news about this flu is worried about getting sick, and we don’t know how widespread the illness is at this time. But we are not recommending that people stay home.

If they do go out, they can avoid infection by washing their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer. If they feel ill or have a fever, they should call their doctor immediately and follow the advice of their health care provider.

“As we’ve seen in places like Southeast Asia, this flu is highly contagious. Nearly half a million Americans died in the 1918 pandemic flu outbreak. Given that and many other equally frightening examples, what are you going to do to protect the rest of the population here from getting this?”

The important thing for us now is to understand as much as we can about the strain of flu that we're dealing with today. And we will know more about that when we have the laboratory results back in 12–24 hours. We will continue to keep the press and the public informed every step of the way. In the meantime, there is a number for people to call which is 1-800-555-1FLU. They can also check our website, which is www.flusimulation.gov.