# 7108
With more than a little uncertainty surrounding the future course and impact of the H7N9 virus, public health officials are trying to find the `right’ message to convey to the public – one that informs, without being unduly alarming.
It isn’t always easy, particularly when you consider the tendency of some in the tabloid media to take any statement and turn it into a `worst case’ headline.
Which may explain why yesterday the CDC announced the activation of their Emergency Operations Center (see CIDRAP: CDC Activates Limited EOC On H7N9) with little fanfare.
Although not currently showing a lot of activity, some of the CDC’s recent messaging on H7N9 via Twitter include:
With daily increases in cases counts (another 5 cases reported today) – but no signs of sustained human-to-human transmission - Gregory Hartl, spokesperson for the World Health Organization, tweeted the following reminder overnight.
A message that was expanded, and amplified, later this morning via the @WHO twitter feed.
With the instant news cycle of the Internet, the use and mastery of social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube are essential if agencies and organizations hope to get their message out to the public before it becomes `old news’.
The World Health Organization’s announcement last week that they would post updates on twitter first, and then post extended information on their website, is an acknowledgement that time, and the Internet, waits for no press release.
To keep current on the latest H7N9 news, in addition to following @WHO, @CDCFlu, and, @HaertlG, I would recommend you add @FluTrackers, @HelenBranswell, @Crof, @maggiemfox and @Healthmap (and my own account @Fla_Medic ) to your twitter feed as well.
You can also search using the hash tag #H7N9 in order to find additional information, and people you may wish to follow.
