The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of effective public health crisis communications using technology. Organizations working in government, healthcare, and non-profit sectors can apply best practices such as reducing hotline backlogs by using IVR, chatbots, and AI to provide efficient service; combating misinformation with proactive alerts; reaching more people through preferred communication channels; and automating patient appointment reminders and scheduling. These strategies can help organizations scale response quickly, iterate on what's working best, and deliver critical messages to constituents in a timely manner. Additionally, industry trends such as the digitization of customer service and increased mobile access to contact centers are supporting these efforts, and Twilio offers resources and support to help organizations implement these best practices.