key: cord-1024649-gpbnyl1z authors: Hinjoy, Soawapak; RoyceTsukayama,; Chuxnum, Teerasak; Masunglong, Wattana; Sidet, Chitphanu; Kleeblumjeak, Pitchapa; Onsai, Napatsawan; Iamsirithaworn, Sopon title: A self-assessment of the Thai Department of Disease Control's communication for international response at early phase to the COVID-19 date: 2020-04-22 journal: International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.04.042 sha: 73f7cdd512c3fc925e6b817969132c59362daeb6 doc_id: 1024649 cord_uid: gpbnyl1z Abstract Objectives This study aimed to assess the Thailand Department of Disease Control's (DDC) early responses to COVID-19 in respects to communication with the international community and to identify the manner of Thailand's response during public health emergencies. Methods Documents and international response communication from 4 to 31 January 2020 were reviewed and dates of responses were collected for descriptive analysis. A questionnaire was submitted to the DDC officers responsible for international coordination. A meeting to identify responses was held to evaluate the self-assessed capacities of the department's international communication. Results Thailand began the COVID-19 screening protocol on 3 January 2020. International correspondence subsequently occurred continually either through the ASEAN or International Health Regulations (IHR) mechanisms. The total score of communication for international response was 88.9%. For IHR reporting duties, the median duration to respond was 2.49hours. Official news was sent within a mean of 9.18hours and the English daily situation reports were always uploaded onto the official website within 24hours. Conclusions This study provided a benchmark for international coordination and communication capacities and also identified areas for improvement during public health emergencies, such as the need to identify English-speaking spokespeople to communicate at the international level. including 426 deaths (ABVC, 2020). On 5 January, WHO issued a statement that did not recommend applying any restrictions of travel or trade on China based on available information and the current known situation (Pharmaceutical-Technology, 2020). As COVID-19 emerged and spread, world powers strengthened their resolve to contain the outbreak. In January 2019, the Thailand Department of Disease Control, the ASEAN Health Cluster and WHO took measures to coordinate the effort to stop the outbreak and prevent its further spread. International coordination activities can play a major role in the response to the disease outbreak and included collecting and sharing information with international and regional organizations, providing documents prepared for public dissemination, and issuing press release documents produced via the coordination mechanisms. Within the larger response, there were two primary units operating to fulfill the departmental assignments. The Office of International Cooperation (OIC) served as the unit for supporting international cooperation in disease prevention and control, coordinating with relevant national and international agencies, and was responsible for serving as the position of liaison officer of international response at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) of the Department of Disease Control (DDC). An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. Documents including formal and informal communications of official letters and messages addressing COVID-19 between the DDC's sectors (including the international cooperation sector, the international health regulation sector and the incident commander from the Emergency Operations Center) WHO, and ASEAN Secretariat from 4 to 31 January 2020 were reviewed. Types of responses, dates of notifications (with specific times) and dates of responses (with specific times) were recorded to explore the timeliness of communication. The frequency and duration between assignments (appointed by the EOC to the liaison officers of international response) and release times in minutes and hours to relevant international and regional organizations for assignments such as duties of the IHR national focal point, press An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. which may constitute a public health emergency of international concern within its territory in accordance with the decision instrument, as well as any health measure implemented in response to those events), the Thai National IHR Focal Point notified the Thailand WHO country office within 30 minutes after receiving a laboratory confirmation of the COVID-19 of the first 14 release at the international level so all information may slow in a bottleneck. The technical advisory groups should be identified in advance for international response and attached to the incident command structure (WHO, 12). The ability to produce press releases, daily situation reports, and risk communication information and release all of them to the public within 24 hours assures that the DDC values its English-speaking partners, residents, and tourists. Press releases and news were required to be in an official format and needed approval from the incident commander before release; thus, it would have a longer duration as seen in its mean of 9.18 hours ( Table 2 ). The large standard deviations suggest some documents took longer to produce and may be attributed to an available, yet limited English writing capacity and the time consumed during the approval process. The overall rapid response and communication capacities exhibited by DDC in this assessment, expresses the commitment to transparency, sharing information from trusted sources before fake news sources create misinformation, and the willingness to collaborate with a variety of international partners for the benefit of global health. This assessment however was not without shortcomings. The quality of information was not measured, response times were selfreported, and the study was not conducted by a neutral third party. To reduce the potential for bias from over-estimating capacities of communication scores during the self-assessment, specific criteria requiring documents as evidence were defined for each score (0, 0.5, and 1). Therefore, scores in this capacity were dependent on official documents rather than human An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. With health, social, economic, and political implications brought upon the by the emergence of COVID-19, this assessment will serve as a baseline that measures DDC's existing capacities and execution of tasks with aims to guarantee speed and accuracy in communication with international partners and the public during emergencies and urgent situations. The second update of UVP outbreak in Wuhan shared by the ASEAN Secretariat. Thailand was requested from WHO to share UVP information. Thailand set up the multi-language platform (TH-ENG-CN) to update the situation, sharing information about measures, recommendations, knowledge, etc. Thailand received notification about Unidentified Viral Pneumonia (UVP) in Wuhan from China through the ASEAN platform. The ASEAN Secretariat shared the first update of UVP outbreak in Wuhan, China to ASEAN Member States (AMS). The third update of UVP outbreak in Wuhan was shared by the ASEAN Secretariat. -Thailand shared information and daily report via email through the ASEAN Secretariat. -Thailand held an official press conference regarding the first imported case of COVID-19 in Thailand. Thailand shared information on the 2 nd imported case, which was requested by China and Japan. -Japan and South Korean shared information of 2nd cases to Thailand. -Thailand received the information about local transmission in Vietnam. -Thailand reported the 5th case by official press conference, in a Thai who traveled from Wuhan. -Thailand shared information on the 4th-5th case as requested by South Korea. -South Korea requested information for potential Korean COVID-19 contacts from Thailand. Thailand received notification about the genetic detection protocol (RT-PCR) of COVID-19 in Korea. 23 January 2020 China shared the genetic sequence of SARS-COV-2, the virus that causes COIVD-19 with the international community. Thailand EOC was activated the level 1. An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. Develop an official (English) national web site 1 2 Link this web site to other countries 1 3 Have good relations with professional specialists able to help with the development of accurate and timely messages 0.5 4 During the epidemic period, develop fact sheets or other general information on pandemic preparedness for distribution to various target groups, including professional and community groups 1 5 Nominate epidemic spokespersons at the international level 0.5 6 Ensure that during events, media briefings are held regularly 1 7 Ensure that during an epidemic, materials are regularly reviewed and updated with new (relevant) knowledge that may become available 1 8 Ensure that mechanisms exist for information sharing between national authorities, WHO and other United Nations agencies. Coordinate with, or use, existing mechanisms for the implementation of the IHR 1 9 Ensure that a mechanism exists for the timely and consistent distribution of information between national bodies and international authorities 1 Total score (%) 8 (88.9%) An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. No exit: China locks down second city as it steps up virus battle…23 Descriptive review and evaluation of the functioning of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Annex 2 ABVC) in collaboration with Bluedot Inc. Risk Assessment for International Dissemination of 2019-nCoV to the ASEAN Region ASEAN Health Cluster 2 Work Programme for World Health Organization. Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) SITUATION REPORT No. 1. 2020… Pneumonia of unknown origin -China. Disease outbreak news Wuhan seafood market may not be only source of novel coronavirus Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) SITUATION REPORT No.22 Emergencies preparedness, response. Pneumonia of unknown origin -China China reports first death from mystery virus…11 Health Minister proposes Visa on Arrival suspension for Human transmission of coronavirus confirmed in Thailand…31 MOPH emphasizes no outbreak of Novel Coronavirus in Thailand, ensuring Thailand's preventive measures for emerging disease, early detection, early treatment MOPH emphasizes no outbreak of Novel Coronavirus in Thailand, ensuring Thailand's preventive measures for emerging disease, early detection Emergency Operation Center, Department of Disease Control. MOPH Scales up Surveillance of Novel Coronavirus 2019 during the Chinese New Year Festival Key Elements of Effective Crisis Management Pharmaceutical Technology. Coronavirus: A timeline of how the deadly outbreak is evolving…12 Feb Thailand to screen tour guides for coronavirus…29 Department of Health and Human Services. CERC: Crisis Communication Plans detail/30-01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-the-international-healthregulations World Health Organization. WHO checklist for influenza pandemic preparedness planning World Health Organization In unprecedented move, China locks down megacity to curb virus spread…23 The authors acknowledge would like to thank colleagues (Office of International Cooperation and Division of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health) for their help to provide data. Thank An evaluation version of novaPDF was used to create this PDF file. Purchase a license to generate PDF files without this notice. Darika Kingnate from the Department of Disease Control for support and advice. The authors declare no conflict of interest. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The study has not been reviewed or approved by a human research ethics committee because the data are reported in counts and percentages and the participants can not be identified from the results.