Perceptions on the risk communication strategy during the 2013 avian influenza A/H7N9 outbreak in humans in China: a focus group study

Li, Richun; Xie, Ruiqian; Yang, Chong; Frost, Melinda

(3) and build trust. 3 Based on previous experience in handling disease outbreaks with pandemic potential, risk communication strategies in China have evolved in the last decade. After the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, the Chinese government's awareness of and capacity to respond to health emergencies substantially improved. 4 China established a new mechanism for emerging infectious disease response with improvements in command and decisionmaking, organization and collaboration, monitoring and early warning and protection and communication. This new mechanism allowed China to successfully manage Perceptions on the risk communication strategy during the 2013 avian influenza A/H7N9 outbreak in humans in China: a focus group study Richun Li, a Human infection with the avian influenza A(H7N9) virus were first identified in China in March 2013. 6 H7N9 is a strain of influenza that causes mild disease in poultry but can be severe in humans. The World Health Organization reported 133 cases in the first wave of the H7N9 outbreak in China from February to May 2013; however, the number of cases decreased in the following summer. 7 There is no vaccine to prevent human infection with H7N9 virus, and population immunity was low for this novel virus. Human-to-human transmission of H7N9 was uncertain at the early stage of the outbreak, and there was much concern that human infection with H7N9 virus could rapidly spread the disease, resulting in a pandemic threat. 8, 9 Given that concern, in this study Li et al Risk perceptions during the 2013 H7N9 outbreak, China or poultry workers did not have higher priority in the recruitment process.