Using Social Media to Combat Swine Flu

From a health perspective, I’m not quite sure who to believe.  Either Swine Flu will be the end of humanity, or that I’m more likely to die from the regular flu. Perhaps I’m more likely to die being struck by lighting? One thing is clear, Swine Flu has an uphill battle when it comes to PR.

Right now, both the CDC and a SwineFlu Account are managing PR on Twitter.  It is a TOUGH job to manage the danger of a Swine Flu pandemic.  You need to encourage people to be prepared and avoid person-to-person flu transmissions, without setting off a global panic.  Which I think is well underway.

Who I really feel for is the US Swine Industry.  Being from Indiana, I understand how crucial the livestock industry is to the US Economy and our global food chain.  There are talks of global embargoes on pork, questions about eating bacon, and even blaming this kid for all of our problems!

Using Social Media is a great way to spread panic, but its also a great way to control it.  Best of luck CDC!

@KristinMiller

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