Public education aims to promote and support the implementation and adoption of public health measures at the individual and community levels. Communication of information and advice is often the first and most important public health intervention during an emergency, especially where behaviour change is essential for an effective response.^{Footnotexviii} Providing clear and consistent information about COVID-19 through authoritative sources and the use of public health measures is an essential component of their successful implementation. Messages should include ways to reduce risk as well as rationales for decision-making to encourage trust and adherence to advice. Tailoring approaches to specific audiences (e.g. high-risk groups, Indigenous communities, homeless, socially isolated, new immigrants, non English-French speaking) will be needed, especially for those who may not be able to use or access standard resources.

Conveying the basis for, and value of, public health measures and recommendations (e.g. reducing transmission, reducing burden on health care systems), uncertainties (e.g. timing, extent of their use) and limitations (e.g. effectiveness of preventing transmission) should be incorporated into the public health communications strategy.

When faced with uncertainty and unpredictability, communicating early during a crisis can be critical to building essential trust. Misinformation that is spread through social media is a significant concern. Building trust in institutions and spokespersons in advance of a pandemic can mitigate the potential risks of misinformation, along with creating a clear focal point for accessing information about the pandemic. It is important to ensure that F/P/T governments are using common messaging to ensure that there is not conflicting public health measures advice being messaged across the country.