Crisis communication during COVID‐19: Insights from Pennsylvania and Florida local governments

Abstract

AbstractThis study examines the determinants of local governments’ (LGs') adoption of crisis communication strategies during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Recognizing the pivotal role of crisis communication in public health emergencies and the central role of LGs as frontline responders, this research offers valuable insight into pandemic response and management. Employing ordinary least squares regression, we analyzed data from our Pandemic Management Survey, which was distributed across Pennsylvania and Florida municipal executives during the spring of 2021. According to our results, LG managers’ concerns related to school and business closures, as well as their efficacy beliefs, had a positive impact on the adoption of communication strategies. Our results also showed that funding from the CARES Act significantly improved LGs’ capacity to implement these strategies. Additionally, our study underscores the significance of community vulnerability factors in shaping crisis communication efforts.