COVID-19 Update
At PRSA-SF Bay Area, our community revolves around our members. As such, the safety and well-being of our community is paramount. During this time of uncertainty with COVID-19, we’ve made the decision to move our upcoming events virtually for the foreseeable future. Please stay tuned via our Golden Gate Insider newsletter and social media channels for the latest updates on our events and resources.
As communicators, we know you’re guiding brands, organizations, public entities and teams through this global crisis. For local companies, the Bay Area ‘shelter in place’ mandate is no doubt affecting daily operations. During this time of crisis, we want you to know that we’re here for you and our mission to provide value for our members doesn’t waver. If anything, it’s heightened right now. We want to be a resource and support you in this uncertain time.
A massive amount of COVID-19 related information is being delivered to all of us from hundreds of sources at an unprecedented pace. The role of public relations professionals as advocates for truth, accuracy and transparency in accordance with the PRSA Code of Ethics is integral to our daily practice but especially crucial in times of crisis.
As PRSA National stated, “people don’t need to hear ‘wash your hands’ from us – they need to know where they can get the info they need, when they need it, and which sources they can trust.”
Here are a number of resources for communicators that we hope offer some assistance. Please consider taking advantage of these to receive the latest guidance and advice from the pros.
Helpful Webinars / Virtual Meetups
- March 18 – Online Event from Commonwealth Club: Combatting Coronavirus in Our Community: What Works, Why Now 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. PST
- March 19 – PRSA Live Webinar: Communicating in a Time of COVID-19 (free for members). Live version will take place March 19, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. PST. It will also be available as an on-demand offering beginning March 26.
- March 20 – Webinar from Duarte: Virtual Communication: Presenting with Empathy 10:00 a.m PST
- March 25 – FREE PR News webinar: Communicating about COVID-19 — Navigating a New and Uncertain Crisis 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST
- Weekly on Fridays – Virtual meetup hosted by PRSA Silicon Valley to serve as a forum for Bay Area communicators to discuss best practices, tips and tricks about coronavirus. All are welcome. https://hp.zoom.com/j/196842530; Dial in: +1 669-900-6833 (US Toll) or +1 646-876-9923 (US Toll) 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. PST
- April 30 – Live PRSA Webinar: It’s Only A Crisis If You Panic 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. PST
Helpful Tools
- The World Health Association (WHO) says there is an “infodemic.” PRSA and the PRSA Health Academy believe the best work we can do is to simplify the process and direct people to reliable, credible information resources. As a result, PRSA created the INFOdemicRx infographic that depicts a simple, three-action-steps guide to help consumers and communities find the information they need amidst conflicting claims, hype, misinformation, disinformation and information overload.
- A crowdsourced list of public COVID-19 company policies, updates, conference and school closures, etc.
- A full list of crisis communications resources from PRSA.
We appreciate your patience as we migrate our upcoming events to virtual opportunities. Please check our website, newsletter and social media channels (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) for the latest updates.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@prsasf.org. Our hearts and thoughts go out to each and every one of you.
Be safe and stay well,
Jenna Watson Gudgel
PRSA-SF Bay Area President