The Role of Communications in Managing a Disaster: The Case of COVID-19 in Vietnam

Abstract

Despite a ravaging pandemic worldwide, Vietnam managed to contain the local outbreak, partly owing to its carefully implemented risk communications campaign. This chapter investigated the effectiveness of official Vietnam government communications, the sentiment of foreign media reporting on Vietnam, and any challenges. Content analysis was applied to samples from government communications (43 samples); international articles (46); and social media conversations (33). Official government communications were quite accurate, timely, and effective in displaying transparency, employing war symbolism, and shared responsibility, but should more clearly separate between state and expert, offer differing views, and highlight the benefits of compliance. International articles praised the government's viral PSA TikTok video, its transparency, and the netizens' nationalist narratives. While some evidence was found for infodemic, blaming, and heroization, the sample was too small to be conclusive. Future studies should expand the timeframe to a longer duration, quantitatively appraise a wider sampling of social media conversations, and possibly conduct primary interviews with experts, policy makers, and the public.

Citation

Bucatariu, L. (2020), "The Role of Communications in Managing a Disaster: The Case of COVID-19 in Vietnam", George, B. and Mahar, Q. (Ed.) International Case Studies in the Management of Disasters (Tourism Security-Safety and Post Conflict Destinations), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 169-196. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-186-820201011