Using Social Media to Communicate about Mosquito Control

The Prevent & Protect publication series focuses on creating different material formats to resonate with various audiences and on maximizing the efficacy of communicating with the public about mosquito-related risks and mosquito control topics. The UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) created the Prevent & Protect project to educate local elected and appointed officials and targeted audiences about mosquito control in a simplified, understandable format to increase public understanding of scientific information on the topic. An overview of the Prevent & Protect project is available in the Ask IFAS publication Public Perceptions of Mosquitoes and Mosquito Control (https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/WC357). This document explains how to effectively use social media to communicate in an emergency situation, specifically related to mosquito control. This publication also provides details on integrating the Prevent & Protect emergenc