Local Ebola Virus Disease Medical Spokesperson: The Need for Effective Communication and A Good Night's Sleep

In October 2014, an Ebola Virus Disease-related incident thrust Summit County, Ohio into the national spotlight. A Dallas health care worker had spent almost four days in Summit County prior to being diagnosed with Ebola Virus Disease. Summit County Public Health activated its internal Incident Command System structure and began contact identification, investigation, and monitoring. Public information was a key component of the response and the role of the medical spokesperson was vital in conveying accurate and timely medical and response information.  Since Ebola had had never been treated in the United States before August 2014, there was fluidity about contact classification, appropriate monitoring, risk transmission, environmental issues, personal protective equipment, medical transport, and hospital preparedness. Added challenges were issues of privacy and confidentiality, isolation and quarantine legality, governmental and political concerns.  The medical spokesperson needed to be adept at explaining the volatile nature of the disease and investigation concerns but also able to handle local and national media, community partners and the public. Lessons learned included the need for effective handling of changing information, difficulties with communicating risk, and the need for a good night’s sleep.