BACKGROUND
Risk communication in public health emergencies is an essential part of any emergency response.
AIM
The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to provide WHO Member States, partners and stakeholders involved in emergency preparedness and response structures evidence-based, up-to-date, system-focused guidance.
METHODS
Guideline development followed WHO standards.
RESULTS
These guidelines give recommendations in the following areas: (1) approaches for building trust and engaging with communities and affected populations, (2) approaches for integrating risk communication into existing national and local emergency preparedness and response-structures, and (3) planning, conducting, and evaluating emergency risk communication in practice.
CONCLUSION
Specific step-by-step instructions are beyond the remit of these recommendations. These will be provided by WHO in other formats in the future.