Data is not enough: from Covid to measles, America must relearn risk communication | Lynne Peeples

Article excerpt

Two simultaneous outbreaks, hantavirus on a cruise ship and mounting Ebola cases in Africa, have surfaced the same communication failures that plagued the Covid pandemic. Despite dashboards, trackers, and risk estimates, Americans remain confused about how to respond, their interpretations split between alarm and dismissal. The problem isn't a lack of data but a failure to explain what the numbers mean and what people should actually do. Effective outbreak communication requires more than epidemiological precision; it demands clarity about personal risk, actionable guidance, and honest acknowledgment of uncertainty.