Much has been written about the government's preparedness for the coronavirus pandemic. This extends to criticism and analysis of its communication efforts, which can seem ad-hock and rushed. But i can tell you, the government has not been sleeping entirely. As far back as 2007 the possibility of a pandemic was on the radar, along with the need for clear comms.
This film was produced in 2006 fearing an Avian flu outbreak. Never officially released, the BBC obtained the film via the freedom of information act in 2011. Many discussions were had about the tonal balance between informative, honest but not too terrifying. See for yourself if you think we found the right balance.
The messaging and advice is essentially the same as for Covid-19 today (2020), so I'm slightly surprised the film wasn't repurposed and then released. But agency contracts change, new department heads arrive and want to do their own thing.
You can watch the full film below...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-13521519
Other notes:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-...