New messages going out in Hartlepool to help town stamp out coronavirus

The communication strategy in responding to coronavirus was one of a number of issues discussed at the first Hartlepool Outbreak Control Engagement Working Group.

Messages are to be placed on roundabouts, barriers and displayed on banners across Hartlepool calling on residents to follow coronavirus guidelines.

This will include messages around hand hygiene and guidance on face masks, as well as calls for social distancing, which council officers noted could be labelled ‘physical distancing’ to promote the importance of keeping in touch with people.

Council chiefs have also said they have agreed to display messages on empty shops in Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.

Council chief executive Gill Alexander said the response to the health messages put out by the council to date has been positive.

She said: “Our social media reach has been phenomenal over this and I think generally the view is people have appreciated our messaging has even been slightly different to national messaging due to the local circumstances of Hartlepool.

“We also recognised we need to do more in terms of meeting the diverse needs of our communities, there’s an issue around digital inclusion.

“We’ve been able to get messages out fast for those who are social media savvy but we’ve been relying on more traditional vehicles for those who aren’t.

“I think this is going to be absolutely fundamental to how we manage this very tricky period as we begin to ease lockdown at a time when we know the virus isn’t completely under control.”

She also noted they would be looking at ensuring messaging is out there to reach those with hearing and visual impairment and people who do not have English as a first language.

Craig Blundred, acting director for public health for Hartlepool, noted health bosses in Leicester and Blackburn with Darwen, which have both seen high rates of Covid-19 infections, flagged up communication as a key area to get right.

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Cllr Brenda Harrison also praised the Hartlepool response to date, adding how they must continue to ensure the correct messages are issued for the borough, instead of just following national advice.

She said: “I think as a local authority we have done very well throughout this period of time in dealing with our town rather than going by the guidelines that have been offered nationally.

“Those are still blurred and I think as a town we have to be very clear, as we have been.”

Cllr Stephen Thomas added the physical newsletters which have been distributed in Hartlepool providing updates to residents have also been successful.

He said: “The newsletters that have been going out are absolutely vital and have probably got to a lot of people who we wouldn’t have reached if we’d just been relying on our social media alone.”

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