Effective communications during a pandemic is critical as governments mobilize citizens to take action to protect public health. Done poorly, it can mean an erosion in trust, the immediate loss of lives and longer-term negative social and economic ramifications. This Recovery and Resilience Note looks at response and recovery communications for governments and public officials, focusing on effective citizen-centric communications during times of crisis that can be applied at the local and national levels of government during the COVID-19 crisis.