Asset paper series Epidemics and Pandemics: The response of Society - Issue No.

Publisher: Zadig S.r.l.  Piazza Antonio Mancini, 4 00196  Rome, Italy    ISSN: 2532‐3784  SUMMARY This issue of the ASSET paper series, titled “The Role of Citizens in times of an Epidemic or Pandemic”, is dedicated to the discussion of citizen participation in the response to a public health crisis such as an epidemic and furthermore, to the role of citizens in shaping public health policy. [...] It is true for research and policy-making alike At a policy workshop in Copenhagen in that in order to have the most robust results November 2016, the partners of the ASSET they need to engage the public, and to integrate project discussed the results of the European societal needs in the process of innovation. [...] the last of our results that will be highlighted in this brief paper – that when asked: “What is the The implications of these findings, also best way to provide information in times of discussed in the ASSET Policy Report (2017) pandemics/epidemics?” a staggering 71% of the (Fig.4), are calling for an inclusive and participants in the ASSET Citizen Consultations participatory approach, with advic. [...] Overall, 85% of participants were in favour of While not statistically significant, the citizen mandatory vaccination for health care workers – consultation task within the ASSET Project gave in the Irish consultation, this figure rose to 98% an interesting insight into the thoughts and in favour, the highest number of all the concerns of citizens of eight European countries participating countrie. [...] responses was for the question: “How much do you trust each of the following sources of Moreover, the preferred type of communication information regarding the recent Zika channel proved to be different among the age epidemic?” The citizens were asked to rank in groups; the difference in age in preferred order of importance the following: General information source and the evolving social practiti.