Spreading Swine Flu Information: A Lesson in How to Use Social Media in An Emergency

David — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:32:33 +0000

Swine flu has been a trending topic on Twitter for several days now, but while the UK government is sticking to more traditional methods of informing the public, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will not be accused of being slow off the social media blocks.

The CDC has a dedicated social media tools page on its website, and it’s worth listing the ways in which it is seeking to educate people about the virus:

A mobile-optimised website;
Online instructional videos;
Podcasts, e.g. how handwashing helps;
E-cards;
Swine flu specific news feeds;
Three Twitter accounts, including @CDCemergency;
Flickr images;
Social network presences on Facebook, MySpace and DailyStrength;
YouTube channel and other video sites;
Various widgets and buttons to display on websites.

Particularly as this disease has only been with us for a matter of days, a fantastic effort.

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Spreading Swine Flu Information: A Lesson in How to Use Social Media in An Emergency