De-escalating COVID-19 Conflicts

Published January 12, 2022
See all editions of Covid in Focus here.

When you’re communicating about COVID-19 or enforcing campus COVID-19 policies, it’s normal to worry about how people might respond. With pandemic-related tensions running high, some people may become frustrated and react aggressively. 

The good news is there are steps that students, faculty, and staff can take to prevent COVID-19 conflicts — and respond safely when conflicts do come up. 

Plan Ahead for Safe Policy Enforcement

When it comes to enforcing campus COVID-19 policies like wearing a mask on campus, it’s important to plan ahead and set clear expectations. Ask yourself: 

  • Who will enforce COVID-19 policies? Keep in mind that frustrated people may be more likely to lash out at a student than a professional staff member — and people from marginalized communities may face a higher risk of harassment or violence.
  • How do you want them to enforce the policies? For example, what do you expect them to do if someone isn’t wearing a mask?
  • Where can they go for help? Make a support and reporting plan that spells out who to call for help and where to report policy violations.

Create Your Support and Reporting Plan

Think through the following details, then share them with everyone who helps to enforce COVID-19 policies on campus: 

  • Provide a clear point of contact for people to call if they have questions about campus COVID-19 policies — or if a situation makes them feel uncomfortable. Examples of uncomfortable situations include people arguing or refusing to leave the area. 
  • Tell people to call campus police or security if someone becomes violent or aggressive, threatens to hurt themselves or others, or does anything else that feels unsafe. The same goes for social media — if someone threatens to hurt themselves or others online, people should contact campus police or security.
  • If you’re asking students, faculty, or staff to report COVID-19 policy violations, clearly explain whom to contact and how to make a report. 
  • Ask people to follow up with their point of contact after the situation has been resolved. In addition to keeping campus staff in the loop, this gives people a chance to express their feelings about the situation and discuss lessons learned that might help going forward.

Be sure to talk to campus police or security about the role you expect them to play in enforcing campus policies and de-escalating conflicts. Explain your safety concerns and set clear expectations on when officers should step in and how they can help in difficult situations.

Tips to Share with Students, Faculty, and Staff

Share these conflict de-escalation tips with campus staff and students who help with COVID-19 programs or policy enforcement. You can also share them with the broader campus community in an email, news article, or intranet post. You can copy and paste the content below into your own communications channels and update it to reflect campus department names or other areas specific to your campus.

Responding to COVID-19 Conflicts on Campus

When people don’t agree about COVID-19 rules, it can lead to conflict. And with tensions running high, some people may even react in an aggressive way. The good news is there are steps you can take to prevent COVID-19 conflicts — and respond safely if you do find yourself in a heated situation.

If you’re planning a COVID-19 event on campus

If you’re planning or helping with an in-person COVID-19 event (like a campus vaccine clinic), follow these tips to create a positive environment:

  • Add some humor. We probably don’t have to tell you this, but laughter can help ease tension. For example, on one campus, a staff member dressed up as the COVID-19 virus to bring a little humor to an event. 
  • Invite trusted campus leaders. Consider asking a campus chaplain or religious leader to join your event. You could also invite a student athlete, student body president, or another leader whom people know and trust.
  • Call in experts. For example, you could invite a health educator or health care provider to address misinformation about COVID-19 or vaccines. 
  • Encourage questions. Let people know your event is a judgment-free zone and invite everyone to ask questions respectfully. Talk to your event leaders about how to respond to questions: when in doubt, be honest about what you don’t know, look for more information, and follow up with the person asking the question. 
  • Communicate proactively with police or security. Let police or security officers know when and where your event will take place and explain the situations you might need help with. Decide if you need officers to come to your event, have a car out front, or just be available nearby. Consider asking officers to wear regular clothes or college gear instead of uniforms.
  • Communicate with your team. Talk to everyone who is helping with the event about what to do if a situation makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. 

If you’re enforcing campus COVID-19 policies

Try these tips to put people at ease:

  • Make it easy to follow the rules. For example, if masks are required in the library, offer free masks at the entrance. 
  • Give specific directions. Focus on the action you want people to take. For example: “For everyone’s safety, [campus name] is asking everyone to wear a mask in common areas like the library. Please put a mask on and make sure it covers your nose and mouth.” 
  • Emphasize community and shared values. Trying to soften your request by saying things like “I don’t make the rules” can backfire and create more division. Instead, remind people that they’re part of the campus community and they can help their friends, professors, and campus staff members stay safe by following campus policies.  
  • Give clear choices. Spell out the options for people who aren’t following the rules. For example, “You can choose to wear a mask in the library or leave the building. If you can’t or don’t want to wear a mask, please find another place to study.”  
  • Wrap up the conversation. If students decide to follow the policy, thank them for cooperating. If they don’t, let them know what will happen next. For example, if you need to report what happened, you could say, “I know this isn’t how either of us wanted this to end up today. I’m going to report this situation to campus life, and they’ll get in touch with you.”
  • Don’t hesitate to ask for help. If a situation makes you feel uncomfortable — for example, if someone starts arguing with you — call the point of contact your school has shared with you. If the person becomes violent or aggressive, threatens to harm themselves or others, or does anything else that makes you feel unsafe, call [campus police/security] right away. (Not sure what to do? Ask a campus staff member.) [Campus communicators: Please update this bullet point as needed for your campus.]

If a COVID-19 conversation gets heated

Try these tips to turn down the temperature: 

  • Respect personal space. Here’s one tip that’s easy to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic: give the other person plenty of personal space!
  • Use calming nonverbal cues. Keep your voice and facial expressions steady and calm, and don’t make sudden moves. Avoid pointing or crossing your arms. (While it’s important to be calm, don’t tell the other person to calm down — that tends to make people feel even more frustrated.) 
  • Lead with empathy. Acknowledge that the pandemic has been hard for everyone and validate what the other person is feeling. For example, you could start by saying, “I know it’s been a hard year, and I hear that you’re frustrated about having to wear a mask on campus.” 
  • Find common ground. If possible, point out something you have in common with the other person. For example, you could say, “I like to study in the campus café, too.” If you feel comfortable, you can also share your first name and ask the person their name. 
  • Ask questions and reflect back. Show that you care about their feelings by asking open-ended questions or saying, “Tell me more about that.” Then repeat what the other person said in your own words to confirm you’re understanding them correctly.
  • Remember that you don’t have to change their mind. It’s not your job to change the other person’s beliefs about COVID-19 or convince them that campus policies make sense. If you’re responsible for enforcing policies, focus on what you’re asking them to do (like wear a mask). Otherwise, remember you can walk away from the conversation at any time. 
  • Focus on the positive. Remind people that you have good intentions and that you care about your campus community. 

If someone becomes violent or makes threats

Following the tips above can help to prevent conflict. But people who are feeling on edge may still respond aggressively — or even violently. Call [campus police/security] right away if someone becomes aggressive or violent, threatens to hurt themselves or others, or does anything else that makes you feel unsafe. The same goes for social media: if you see someone threatening to hurt themselves or others online, call [campus police/security].

[Campus communicators: If there’s anyone else you would like students, faculty, or staff to call in case of an emergency, add that information here.]

Social Media Content to Share with Students, Faculty, and Staff

You can post this content on your campus social media accounts to help students, faculty, and staff de-escalate COVID-19 conflicts.

Facebook and Instagram Post

When people don’t agree about COVID-19 rules, it can lead to conflict. If you find yourself in a heated situation, follow these tips to turn down the temperature: 

[checkmark emoji] Respect personal space.

[checkmark emoji] Keep your voice and facial expressions calm.

[checkmark emoji] Acknowledge what the other person is feeling.

[checkmark emoji] Ask questions to show you care.

[checkmark emoji] Repeat what they said in your own words.

Twitter Post

When people don’t agree about #COVID19 rules, it can lead to conflict. If you wind up in a heated situation, take steps to turn down the temperature: 

[checkmark emoji] Respect personal space.

[checkmark emoji] Keep your voice and facial expressions calm.

[checkmark emoji] Acknowledge what the other person is feeling.

Images for Sharing

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