Abstracts by keywords: crisis communication
The COVID-19 pandemic posed major challenges to science and society worldwide. Given the significant scientific uncertainty, decisions had to be made urgently, justified, and risks clearly communicated. It is almost inevitable that assessments can change over the course of such a situation—and retrospectively—and that mistakes happen. In order to avoid repeating past mistakes and instead learn from them for the future, we believe it is particularly important to closely examine, systematically analyze, and controversially discuss the communication and decision-making processes during the pandemic. With this article, we aim to initiate this discussion and, in our view, once again highlight problematic aspects of pandemic and crisis communication by authorities, politicians, and the media in Germany. We are aware that our view of these processes is naturally subjective. We therefore view the presentation and harmonization of complementary perspectives on crisis communication and management as an iterative process that should be continued with further texts.