Ten considerations for effectively managing the COVID-19 transition

• Published in: Nature human behaviour 2020-07, Vol.4 (7), p.677-687
• Main Authors: Habersaat, Katrine Bach, Betsch, Cornelia, Danchin, Margie, Sunstein, Cass R., Böhm, Robert, Falk, Armin, Brewer, Noel T., Omer, Saad B., Scherzer, Martha, Sah, Sunita, Fischer, Edward F., Scheel, Andrea E., Fancourt, Daisy, Kitayama, Shinobu, Dubé, Eve, Leask, Julie, Dutta, Mohan, MacDonald, Noni E., Temkina, Anna, Lieberoth, Andreas, Jackson, Mark, Lewandowsky, Stephan, Seale, Holly, Fietje, Nils, Schmid, Philipp, Gelfand, Michele, Korn, Lars, Eitze, Sarah, Felgendreff, Lisa, Sprengholz, Philipp, Salvi, Cristiana, Butler, Robb
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4014/4013; 4014/477/2811; Behavioral Sciences; Betacoronavirus; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Communicable Disease Control - methods; Communication; Community Participation; Coronavirus Infections - prevention & control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; De-escalation; Disease transmission; Experimental Psychology; Experts; Government; Health care; Health Personnel; Humans; Life Sciences; Medical personnel; Microeconomics; Misinformation; Neurosciences; Pandemics - prevention & control; Personality and Social Psychology; Perspective; Pneumonia, Viral - prevention & control; Public Policy; Resilience; SARS-CoV-2; Self Efficacy; Social Norms; Social Stigma; Trust
• ISSN: 2397-3374; 2397-3374
• DOI: 10.1038/s41562-020-0906-x

Governments around the world have implemented measures to manage the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While the majority of these measures are proving effective, they have a high social and economic cost, and response strategies are being adjusted. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that communities should have a voice, be informed and engaged, and participate in this transition phase. We propose ten considerations to support this principle: (1) implement a phased approach to a ‘new normal’; (2) balance individual rights with the social good; (3) prioritise people at highest risk of negative consequences; (4) provide special support for healthcare workers and care staff; (5) build, strengthen and maintain trust; (6) enlist existing social norms and foster healthy new norms; (7) increase resilience and self-efficacy; (8) use clear and positive language; (9) anticipate and manage misinformation; and (10) engage with media outlets. The transition phase should also be informed by real-time data according to which governmental responses should be updated. Thirty-two experts propose ten considerations for managing the de-escalation of COVID-19 containment measures while still maintaining public adherence to social and physical distancing.