The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way that public health professionals work and communicate. Over a very short time span, remote working arrangements have become the norm, and meetings have shifted online. Physical distancing measures have accelerated a trend toward digital communication and social exchange. At the same time, the work of epidemiologists has been held under a magnifying glass by journalists, governments and the general public, in a way not previously seen. With social media becoming an integral part of our society over the last decade, Twitter is now a key communication tool and platform for social networking among epidemiologists (#EpiTwitter) as well as the wider infectious diseases community (#IDTwitter). Drawing on experiences and observations of the use of Twitter by field epidemiologists and public health professionals for rapid professional exchange, public communication of science and professional development during the pandemic, this presentation will address both best practices and associated risks of social media usage. For those field epidemiologists and public health partitioners new to social media, this will be an opportunity to find out how Twitter can be used in a variety of ways, both at their home institutions and during field deployments. These include information dissemination, science communication and public health advocacy, professional development, networking and experience exchange.

Charlotte Hammer, Cambridge Infectious Diseases, University of Cambridge