Writing Project about COVID-19

Students will write a 3-4 page academic paper(AP style, using APA to cite sources) analyzing the communications strategy and execution of a public health decision made during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Options include guidance/restrictions regarding one of the following topics: Masks, Vaccines, Travel, Schools, Restaurants/Bars

Students must do an overview/analysis(citing sources) of the communications decisions made in the strategy and execution of the public health measures recommended around each of these issues, and then make recommendations on what could have been done differently to improve the communications execution of the response. Students can consider this issue from a National, State, Local, or individual entity(i.e. The Chicago police department/local school system) perspective. Each paper should consider:

• An overview of the public health decision that was made(brief, citing sources).

A determination of what the primary communications goals were, and whether the communications strategy/execution achieved those goals.

• What were the target audiences that needed to be communicated to?

What tactics were used to communicate to these audiences? Were they equitable? Were specific communities disenfranchised or not effectively considered with regard to the communications strategy

• Determination of whether different communications decisions would have better achieved the stated goals?  
• In the event that students believe different tactics would have been more effective, they should detail what they would have done differently and why.
• Key missed opportunities or mistakes. 
• EXAMPLE:NBA Decision to hold NBA Playoffs in the bubble.
• What were the primary goals of this decision – To keep players healthy, to avoid any disruptions to the playoffs(substantial financial implications), to avoid substantial public outrage/backlash.
• Who were the primary audiences – players, owners, NBA fans, sponsors, political establishment
• What tactics were used to communicate to these audiences? Were they equitable? Where specific communities disenfranchised or not effectively considered with regard to the communications strategy – Research and cite the decisions that were made. 
• Did the strategy achieve the goal? What could have been done differently to improve the outcome? Yes/No, Why or why not? What would you have done differently.