Reclaiming trust: public health action to counter the infodemic

Effective communication is at the heart of public health action, and this became apparent in the pandemic. Whether we were advising on isolation, promoting safe environments, or leading vaccination campaigns, our success depended on effective engagement with those involved and affected. Only in exceptional circumstances can we mandate people to act in a certain way. Instead, we inform, encourage, and in some cases warn people to adopt healthy or risk-reducing behaviours, often for them as individuals but sometimes also for those around them. This communication is two-way: understanding the health needs of those we serve and offering solutions based on evidence.