Public Relations in Crisis Management: A Review and Analysis of Communicative Strategies During Early Stages of Covid-19

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 at the end of 2019, many countries face the challenges of gaining the publics trust and encouraging collective participation in fighting against the epidemic and national crisis. Different countries applied different communication strategies to cope with the critical situation. Many of these approaches have been criticized for their effectiveness. Therefore, this review article critically examines it through the lens of crisis management and communicative strategies, particularly its application in the early stages of Covid-19. It explores crisis communication from three angles: content, channels, and key difficulties during the early stages of the pandemic. Highlighting fear's dual role in crisis management and the challenges of misinformation on social media, it emphasizes the need for dynamic fear negotiation and enhanced health literacy. The review offers insights for future studies on fear communication and misinformation, stressing the importance of improving online representation of medical professionals to establish trust and regulate public behavior during crises.