Ebola "breach in protocol" - when bandwagon terms can leave the public in the dark

Dr. Tom Frieden, Director, CDC (Sunday 10/13/14)

At some point, there was a breach in protocol, and that breach in protocol resulted in this infection.”

"The (Ebola treatment) protocols work. ... But we know that even a single lapse or breach can result in infection.”

Bandwagon Terms; Definition

When experts introduce a technical / scientific term and the media and other communicators use it widely…without every really explaining what the term means.

This commonly occurs during complex emergencies.

Examples

Term:  “Spores”

“Seven days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, anonymous letters laced with deadly anthrax spores began arriving at media companies and congressional offices.”

H1N1 2009

Term:  “Novel Virus”

2012 Hurricane Sandy East Coast

 Term: “Storm Surge”

Dealing for Bandwagon Terms

While we want new, technical terms, to be acquired and used by the public, it's important to facilitate that learning.

•       Think through what technical terms are critical in order to understand key messages,

•       Decide in advance what technical terms you want the public to become familiar with

•       Introduce these terms with a definition that fits the modality: speaking, writing, visuals.