This tool is designed to support risk communication, community engagement (RCCE) staff and responders working with national health authorities, and other partners to develop, implement and monitor an effective action plan for communicating effectively with the public, engaging with communities, local partners and other stakeholders to help prepare and protect individuals, families and the public’s health during early response to COVID-19.

This guidance can be used to develop an RCCE plan that, once completed, will constitute a basic evidence-based source for engaging and communicating effectively with identified audiences.

The resulting plan will facilitate effective RCCE, two-way communication between health authorities and at-risk populations in response to COVID-19. It includes planning for engagement with and within local at-risk communities, broader segments of the public at the country-level, and other relevant stakeholders (such as health care providers).

There are 3 sections to the RCCE action plan guidance:

1. ”The Key Steps” to developing a COVID-19 RCCE plan.
2. A related planning template for countries to fill in related to each step.
3. Seven annexes provide additional guidance and resources: an audience assessment questionnaire, a process for identifying objectives and audiences, a method for identifying key information needs about COVID-19, and a list of sources for existing content and messaging.