Coronavirus- Stale Messaging- Five Star Admirals and a Secret Weapon

[Ken Gigliotti]

Coronavirus- Stale Messaging- Five Star Admirals and a Secret Weapon

There has been a lot of hand ringing about government response to the pandemic. Canadian politicians have done as well as any, although months of analytics may point to some flawed thinking from province to province. Numbers lag and the luxury of hindsight really needs context when this pandemic is a truly new virus. People are the problem now. Communication might need a tweak.
The “at war” analogy is a pretty good one and “we are are in this together,” is a handy phrase also pertaining to the compliant use  of masks (late arriving ) social distancing as a public strategy and don't forget hand washing.

The “war” idea has a lot of strategy mulled over in a book I am reading called the Admirals,Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy and King , The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War At Sea, (Walter R. Borneman)and how each with very different leadership styles and skills that complimented each other to defeat Japan in a mostly naval war in the Pacific. The most important quality of the 75 admirals on duty was which ones would fight, would they seize the initiative and could they preserve the few aircraft carriers (economy)left after the Pearl Harbor surprise attack.

It is fair to say the Coronavirus was a surprise attack in this war and how it spread. The Pacific war is itself  different from the land war in Europe and the idea that the water would change the vector of leadership meant the vast expanses of the ocean would play a pivotal role in the strategy to defeat it. This pandemic acted very differently than the last  localized viruses. Air travel over water from both China and Europe would be the first factor.

It turns out the way the US Navy's leadership  paths were organized before the war was critical to having the right people to join a war the US did not start. The US joined the war after a two surprise attacks that destroyed most of the destroyers and aircraft in the theater. All of these five-star admirals saw first hand mistakes and technological advances of the previous world war, the decisive defeats of the big battleship, the potential for sea borne air power of  the aircraft carrier  and the strategic use of submarines.
Even though the WHO seemed to have dropped the ball in the beginning and the US CDC was being shutout by Donald Trump ,plus the forever controversy of mask wearing at first to make up for lack of supply created problems to this day.
Visualizing war over water and not land ,plus working from disadvantage, an island hopping strategy was adopted. The fast attack strategy of the naval aviation and fast aircraft carriers devolved by Halsey, Nimitz and others would eventually save the day. Fast attack on the flu was stifled by the effect on the economies of the world. If fairness no shutdown of air travel and national economies had ever been done before.

There were set backs during WW2 in order to protect Australia (the economy) major engagements at sea created great set backs,defeats and loss of life. The plan endured, Australia did not fall and the island hopping strategy was a success in that it kept the Allies in the fight until the atomic bomb (vaccine) could be developed.

Fatigue and attrition (death) would fill the in between. The enemy (flu) had it's say and produced a few surprises of it's own. (asymptomatic transmission)
The fatigue has set in with several vaccines on the horizon. Delivering the vaccine has a time line incomprehensible to the public and their guard has been let down. It may be young people in bars, it may turn out to be something unexpected.

The messaging from government has not kept up,it has not changed and has become very stale. There is another secret weapon. There are hundreds of unemployed actors and entertainers available, even the public with an iphone can create fresh and engaging content to turn the tide of this very unique war. Let's get some of that creativity that people of the world are just waiting to be asked.Young artists could best solve the problem of social spread in bars and parties.

PSA's tend to preach to the choir, in this situation the grumpy old premier, the father knows best mayors or the dull doc may need a more edgy approach. There are those who don't fallow instructions. In fifteen seconds- Got Protection ,Protection-Mask, Protection hand cleaner, Protection distance.
Blowing bubbles. Don't blow it.

The war will end with brilliant technology, but that is still a year from actual mass delivery, fresh messaging in a five-star effort can take the fight to this relentless enemy who will not give up until it is decisively defeated. We are all in this together after all. The Admirals a very inspiring read.kg