Professor Heidi Tworek (School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; History), along with Dr. Ian Beacock (PhD in History, Stanford University), and Eseohe Ojo (MPPGA alumni) issued a report recommending how to put health communications at the heart of democracies’ response to Covid-19. Professor Heidi Tworek and her fellow researchers draw a list of recommendations from nine jurisdictions and two provinces on five continents: Senegal, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, and Canada (British Columbia and Ontario) to create five broad principles, also known as RAPID principles, that include research from a multitude of disciplines, including political science, social epidemiology and public health, behavioral science, sociology, media and communications studies, history, and political theory.
April 30, 2021
“If family members don’t know English, how do you keep them safe and informed in a pandemic?” asks The Tyee. Professor Heidi Tworek speaks on the importance of getting the word out through as many channels as possible in The Translator Kids.
April 13, 2021
As COVID numbers continue to rise in Canada, B.C.’s top doctor is once again asking people to stay local. Professor Heidi Tworek reviews the effectiveness of B.C.’s COVID-19 messaging in News 1130, Is B.C.’s COVID-19 messaging getting through?
April 6, 2021
What’s the difference between a shutdown and a lockdown? An emergency break and circuit breaker? Why is grey-zone worse than red-zone? Professor Heidi Tworek addresses inconsistent Covid-19 messaging is making us confused and confrontational with Natasha Fatah.
March 13, 2021
Professor Heidi Tworek emphasizes that early and accessible response by health officials is the key to reducing misinformation and conspiracy theories in this Vancouver Sun article, COVID-19: Radio Station at SFU Temporarily Suspends Program Linked to Website with Pandemic Conspiracy Theories.
March 12, 2021
Professor Heidi Tworek says that health officials need to cautiously communicate the benefits and unknowns of COVID-19 vaccines and incentivize safe behaviours until everyone is vaccinated in Winnipeg Free Press, Threading the Needle.
February 22, 2021
Professor Heidi Tworek commented on how British Columbia’s briefings have stood out from other jurisdictions in Canada, and how Bonnie Henry’s role as “chief communicator” has averted confusion between the provincial government and the public in Some Watch B.C.’s Covid-19 Briefings ‘religiously.’ Others Have Tuned Out
January 21, 2021
Professor Heidi Tworek makes a guest appearance in this episode of Solving Healthcare with Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, COVID-19 (Livecast): The Path Forward with Zain Chagla, Heidi Tworek & Stefan Baral.
December 21, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek appears in The Salt Lake Tribune, Robert Gehrke: We need to get past the COVID shaming for public health’s sake.
December 15, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek sits down with Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng in COVID19: Communication Strategies To Engage The People, Promote Vaccination & More, with Dr. Heidi Tworek.
December 11, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek sits down with The Abbotsford News, ‘Respond with empathy’: B.C. expert breaks down COVID vaccine myths, reasons for hesitancy. The story also ran in Surrey Now-Leader, Langley Advance Times, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News, Chilliwack Progress, Peace Arch News, Victoria News, Kelowna Capital News, Haida Gwaii Observer via Black Press Media.
December 10, 2020
An in-depth look at the report’s findings is available in the Vancouver Sun COVID-19 is a dress rehearsal for next pandemic.
December 2, 2020
CBC Ontario Today with Rita Celli features Professor Heidi Tworek, What Leaders Say in a Pandemic: What Works, What Doesn’t.
Professor Heidi Tworek discusses how the pandemic has pitted science against politics in the eyes of the public on CBC The Current with Matt Galloway, Scientists, Politicians, and the Pandemic.
December 1, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek speaks on transmission of COVID 19 in schools as many parents remain concerned. Find the interview on CBC’s BC Today with Michelle Eliot, Covid-19 Communications and Resilience.
November 30, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek makes an appearance on the Lynda Steele Show (CKNW), Do BC health officials need help spreading the COVID-19 message?
November 29, 2020
The report was featured extensively in The Globe and Mail, Inside the communications battle to reach pandemic-weary Canadians. (Subscription)
November 24, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek speaks in CBC’s article on the latest COVID-19 cases in New Brunswick, N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Public Health, education minister hold news briefing.
November 23, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek commented on Ontario’s approach for COVID-19 communications for The Globe and Mail, Ontario looks to extend term of top public-health doctor in face of NDP criticism.
November 20, 2020
In Saskatchewan’s far north, a community of about 900 people is battling an outbreak of COVID-19. Regina Leader-Post quoted Professor Heidi Tworek in ‘Facebook warriors’: A pandemic of hoaxes undermining efforts to stop COVID-19.
November 17, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek and the team’s study of health communication responses to the pandemic was featured in Maclean’s, The pandemic has proven that the individual is not supreme.
November 9, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek was quoted in a Web MD article, U.S. Tops 10 Million Cases Amid COVID-19 Surge.
November 6, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek spoke about effective public health communication in Clear messages are essential in fight against COVID-19, says UBC researcher. The story ran in CBC, and Yahoo.
November 5, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek, alongside Dr. Ian Beacock and Eseohe Ojo, in an article by Policy Options, discusses the many ways in which other democratic countries have handled and effectively communicated with the public, and reflects on what the federal and provincial governments can do address the concerns and communicate with different groups in Canada.
October 19, 2020
Learning what has worked in other countries – and other provinces – would help. Here are four immediate changes the province could make, write Professor Heidi Tworek and Dr. Ian Beacock for Ottawa Citizen, Tworek and Beacock: Ontario’s COVID-19 messaging needs a reset.
October 16, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek was quoted in Don’t Shame Your Neighbors, a New York Times article examining the use of shame tactics by local authorities to enforce health guidelines and what we can learn from how other countries managed coronavirus communications.
October 15, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek published a piece for the Centre for International Governance Innovation, How a Public Health Approach Could Help Curb the Infodemic.
October 13, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek speaks about the report for CNN, The West is being left behind as it squanders Covid-19 lessons from Asia-Pacific.
October 9, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek was quoted on Alberta’s new guidelines and the problems of messaging in The Globe and Mail, Public-health officials look to change their messaging after surge in COVID-19 cases in Edmonton.
October 6, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek published a piece on the report in Brookings, Lessons Learned From Taiwan and South Korea’s Tech-enabled Covid-19 Communications.
September 22, 2020
The report and Professor Heidi Tworek’s interview with Global News BC is featured in The Georgia Straight.
September 20, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek appears on Global News BC to detail the report.
September 17, 2020
Professor Heidi Tworek appears on STAT News Podcast: The Readout LOUD, to examine how countries around the world have succeeded — and failed — to communicate clearly about the Covid-19 crisis.
September 16, 2020
The report was also cited in Financial Times Alphaville.
