Lessons and Best Practices on Risk Communication and Infodemic Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bhutan

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Communication
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated robust risk communication and community engagement (RCCE).
• Infodemic management was a key strategy in Bhutan's pandemic response, alongside surveillance and testing.
• Bhutan's experience highlights the critical role of RCCE in public health crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight methods and practices for managing public information during the pandemic.
• To share experiences with RCCE in Bhutan's COVID-19 response.
• To outline pre-existing media and risk communication mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Review of implemented RCCE strategies.
• Analysis of infodemic management practices.
• Documentation of lessons learned from Bhutan's pandemic response.

Main Results:

• RCCE was instrumental in driving behavior change aligned with pandemic phases.
• Bhutan effectively integrated infodemic management into its broader COVID-19 response.
• Significant insights were gained into the impact and importance of RCCE over three years.

Conclusions:

• Effective RCCE and infodemic management are vital for pandemic response.
• Bhutan's experience provides valuable lessons for future public health emergencies.
• Pre-existing communication infrastructures influenced the effectiveness of pandemic-related RCCE.