Personally, I think both leaders are doing well communication when facing with the spread of COVID-19. To explain each of them how good they are in terms of the six principles of CERC, the explanation is as follows:
Singapore
1. Be first: The leader quickly shared official information about the COVID-19 situation of the last 2 weeks when it initially spread in Singapore, including what the government has been dealing with the new disease and what they are planning to do to deal with the pandemic.
2. Be right: The leader provided the facts about the virus’s infectiousness and compared it to SARS which is a past experienced disease. He compared two diseases point by point so that Singaporeans can understand how similarities and differences between the two diseases.
3. Be credible: In the speech, he talked about the preparation of resources, such as stockpiled supplies of masks and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as well-trained doctors and nurses, to support the government’s readiness for any situation that might occur in the future. Additionally, the speech refrains from spreading rumors, and talks only verified facts about the disease.
4. Express empathy: In the speech, the leader showed concerns about the Singaporeans’ anxiety and fear, as evident in some people stockpiling some food, masks, and toilet paper; however, he reassured the public by mentioning the government’s preparedness to relieve people’s concerns.
5. Promote action: The leader provided clear guidance on what an individual can do step by step, such as observing personal hygiene, staying hygienic by washing hands often and avoiding touching their eyes and face unnecessarily, monitoring themselves if they have symptoms, should avoiding public places.
6. Show respect: By mentioning Singapore’s successful experience with SARS and through the leader’s tone and expression, the speech conveys respect to the people that they will be able to pass this situation again.
Also, I have looked up the comments on Singapore’s YouTube video, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong got a lot of compliments not only from Singaporeans but also from foreigners as well. This underscores the effectiveness of his communication about the COVID-19 situation at that time.
The United States
1. Be first: After the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the global pandemic, then the U.S. leader informed their people about their plans to prevent the disease.
2. Be right: The leader talked information about the disease, how it spreads, and current clusters. Also, comparing the references to early action in China and other countries where previous virus outbreaks occurred to ensure the accuracy of the information regarding what to do.
3. Be credible: The leader mentioned information from several top organizations to assure the credibility of the information and how the government was going to prevent the pandemic.
4. Express empathy: The leader was aware of people’s anxiety and fear regarding how the disease would affect their normal lives. So, the leader mentioned how the government was going to help them.
5. Promote action: The speech provided clear and practical guidance to individuals, similar to what the Singapore leader mentioned, such as practicing good hygiene and monitoring their health.
6. Show respect: The leader encouraged unity as one nation to fight against the COVID-19 situation. The speech in this part shows respect to the people.
Unlike the Singaporean Prime Minister’s YouTube video, Donald Trump received some negative comments. However, I think that many of these negative comments are mostly from individuals who hold a bias against Trump. So, the communicate effectiveness of Trump in this speech probably not going well as same as the Singapore leader’s.