Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Vital A38 upgrades to support thousands of new homes and jobs in Worcestershire

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 8 August 2022.

People in Worcestershire are set to benefit from more than £43 million of government funding for A38 upgrades to tackle congestion, improve local journeys, and support thousands of new jobs and homes.

The project will generate more than £93 million in economic benefits for local communities in the Midlands, with the improvements directly supporting 1,100 new jobs and the development of 5,500 new homes as the government continues to grow the economy, helping to address the cost of living.

The A38 currently experiences significant congestion during the weekday rush hour, with severe delays at junctions and unreliable journey times affecting local residents’ ability to travel and get to work.

Planned works will install new lanes at key junctions and widen the existing road, helping to improve traffic flow and reduce the threat of any unnecessary bottlenecks in the region. These upgrades will take place on a 7.5 mile stretch of the route, between the M5 Junction 4 to the north and the A38/B4094 to the south.

Transport Minister Baroness Vere said:

I know local residents in Worcestershire have been affected by congestion along this key route for too long.

That’s why we’re investing more than £43 million, providing a huge boost to the area’s economy and ensuring people can get around the region quicker and easier – whether that be for work, education or to see family and friends.

We’ll continue investing in important transport schemes across the country, just like this one, as we level up, support local economies, and provide people with the world-class infrastructure they deserve.

The improved traffic flow and lower congestion will also reduce journey times for local buses, making commutes shorter and more reliable. Real time passenger information will be installed at bus stops along the route which will provide passengers with live updates to help them plan their journey, in line with the government’s long term strategy for buses outside London.

Local residents will benefit from improved walking and cycling facilities. A new cycle and pedestrian corridor running parallel to the A38 will be built, while new crossings and overbridges will connect to the wider local cycle network. This will improve safety, provide more options for active travel and support the drive to net zero.

The total cost of the scheme is £49.8 million, with the Department for Transport committing to provide just over £43 million and Worcestershire County Council providing the remainder.

Worcestershire County Council’s Leader, Councillor Simon Geraghty, said:

We are delighted that the A38 project has taken a huge next step forward in the journey towards securing £43 million funding from the Department for Transport.

This significant investment will help improve everyday journeys around Bromsgrove, easing traffic for local people, as well as boosting the local economy.

The scheme comes as part of the government’s drive to level up transport, reduce emissions by boosting opportunities for cycling and walking, and create more opportunities for people right across the country.

It’s the latest in a series of government investments to boost local transport infrastructure, including £5.7 billion for future local transport projects across England.

The local council must now successfully complete the design of the project; identify a preferred contractor; and submit to the Department a Full Business Case for final funding approval. If that is approved works are expected to start in early 2023.

August 8, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : FCDO Minister statement on treatment of Baha’i in Iran

The press release issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 5 August 2022.

The UK is deeply concerned by increasing arrests of the Baha’i in Iran, including recent reports that the Iranian government has demolished houses and confiscated land in Roushankouh, Iran. Former spiritual leaders of the Baha’i in Iran are also reported to have been detained.

FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, said:

“The persecution of religious minorities cannot be tolerated in 2022. We strongly condemn the increasing detention of members of the Baha’i community in Iran, as well as reports of forced closures of their businesses and land seizures. The persecution of religious minorities is a serious violation of international human rights law.

We are working closely with our international partners to hold Iran to account and continue to raise human rights concerns regularly with the Iranian Government.”

August 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New funding to remove chewing gum stains from our high streets

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 August 2022.

New Government action to crack down on litter on our high streets has been set out today (6 August), with more than 40 councils across the UK awarded grants of up to £70,000 to remove chewing gum stains.

Exeter, Birmingham, Sunderland, Swansea, Glasgow and Belfast are among the first winners of funding as part of the Government’s new Chewing Gum Task Force, helping to reinvigorate our country’s towns and cities by funding efforts to clean up streets.

Established by Defra and run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, the Task Force aims to clean gum off pavements and put in measures to stop it being dropped in the first place.

Estimates suggest the annual clean-up cost of chewing gum for councils in the UK is around £7 million and according to Keep Britain Tidy, around 87% of England’s streets are stained with gum.

The funding announced today is the first tranche of a package worth up to £10 million from major gum manufacturers including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle to tackle chewing gum stains – the investment will be spread over five years.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

Littering blights our towns and costs taxpayers money. Working with responsible gum manufacturers, we are now giving councils extra help to clean up our cities and towns.

This means we can double down on regenerating our high streets, boosting local economies and levelling up communities across the country.

Funding will cover:

Grants of up £20,000 for councils including Leicester, Hull, Croydon, Southend, Lewisham and Colchester to purchase cleaning equipment as well as receiving signage to warn people not to litter gum – previous pilots run by Mars Wrigley and not-for-profit Behaviour Change using this signage have reduced gum littering by up to 64%.
Long-term monitoring of gum litter levels and the effects of intervention for four councils including Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow and Newport.
£70,000 for several council partnerships – including Bury and Bolton, Camden and Brent, and Nottingham and Derby.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said:

This is an exciting new opportunity for councils to tackle the ongoing problem of gum pollution.

The grants will allow councils to clean up historic gum litter staining in our towns and cities, as well as taking action to prevent people littering in the first place.

Ana Baptista, Corporate Affairs Director, Mars Wrigley UK, said:

Mars Wrigley has invested in campaigns to tackle litter across the UK for many years. Through our partnership with Behaviour Change we have developed interventions proven to reduce gum littering which have already been used by over 100 Councils.

We are delighted to see these deployed as part of the Chewing Gum Task Force Grant Scheme and look forward to having many more Councils on board.

Hayley Osborne Communications and Sustainability Manager for Perfetti Van Melle, said:

As a manufacturer of gum products we are aware of the unfortunate impact our products can cause to cities and towns. By working together with industry peers, councils, and customers, we can also help be part of the solution, helping to clean-up our streets and educating consumers on the importance of safe gum disposal.

In addition, we are also working on our own campaigns to support our customers, with on-package signage and labelling to help work towards a circular, long-term solution.

This forms part of the Prime Minister’s High Street Strategy to support the evolution and regeneration of high streets across the country, which includes 15 Town Deals totalling £335 million to fund community regeneration projects, the transformation of derelict buildings, and communities being given the chance to own local pubs, theatres, sports grounds and corner shops.

Littering is a criminal offence, and the UK Government has already bolstered local authorities enforcement powers by increasing the on-the-spot penalties for littering to £150 in England. Councils can also take offenders to court, which can result in a fine of up to £2,500 if convicted.

Through the Environment Act, the Government will be able to ensure that enforcement powers are used with a high degree of professionalism, whether by council staff or private contractors, and place our improved enforcement guidance on a firm statutory footing.

This forms part of wider government action to tackle litter and protect our environment. We plan to launch a deposit return scheme for drinks containers, extended producer responsibility for packaging and consistent recycling collections which will transform the way we deal with our rubbish.

August 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Stricter rules to clamp down on takeaway litter

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, on 7 August 2022.

New guidance will help make sure takeaway food businesses play their part in cleaning up high streets, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has set out today (7 August 2022).

Updated guidance published today will clarify the powers councils in England have to set stricter litter rules for new hot food takeaways when considering planning applications, including making sure that more bins are installed to reduce rubbish in the surrounding area.

The move will help create cleaner town centres, with figures showing that fast food items are the fourth most common type of litter found on UK high streets.

Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark said:

We are empowering councils to make sure new takeaway food businesses are doing their bit to stop rubbish littering our high streets.

It is just one of the many ways we are improving the environment and making sure we can all take pride in the local communities we call home.

The guidance will give councils clear and consistent advice on what rules they can enforce when new takeaways open, such as ensuring they install more bins and anti-litter signs around shops or have staff members pick up litter regularly. Failing to adhere to these rules could result in financial penalties.

A number of councils are already putting these requests into place, such as Gateshead Council which has ordered new takeaways to provide litter bins for customers.

Today’s announcement will ensure this practice becomes the norm across the country, so that new takeaway outlets do not increase the impact of litter on local communities.

This is part of wider measures set out in the Build Back Better High Streets Strategy to improve the public realm and create safer and cleaner spaces.

It follows new funding announced by the Environment Secretary yesterday to remove chewing gum stains from our high streets, with more than 40 councils across the UK awarded grants of up to £70,000.

August 7, 2022
Department for International Development – 2020 Press Release on Global Access to Vaccine

Below is a press release issued by the Department for International Development on 24/04/2020.

UK is one of 20 countries and global organisations, like the WHO, to pledge to give the world access to new vaccines and treatments

Pledge follows calls from the PM and UK Ministers for greater global co-operation in fight against coronavirus

UK will also virtually co-host new Coronavirus Global Response Summit on 4 May 2020

Countries from around the world today (Friday, 24 April) joined the UK in pledging to give everyone equal access to new coronavirus vaccines and treatments around the world. The move is aimed at boosting global supply of the vaccine, once one is approved for use, to help prevent a second wave of the pandemic.

At the World Health Organization virtual launch event today, First Secretary of State Dominic Raab joined the UN Secretary General, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General and the leaders from the 20 countries, including France, South Africa and Malaysia to pledge the UK’s support for the new “COV-access agreement”.

This is an unprecedented global agreement between international health organisations and countries. It follows calls from the UK for the countries to work together, including at last month’s G20 meeting.

The UK is one of the biggest supporters of the global effort to find a coronavirus vaccine, providing £250 million to international research on the disease to the Centre for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. It is also one of the biggest supporters of the WHO and Gavi, the Global Vaccine Alliance, which distributes vaccines in the poorest countries.

UK scientists at Oxford and Imperial College London Universities are also leading efforts to develop a working vaccine. Human trials started this week in Oxford, and the government has given £42.5 million in funding to support clinical trials at both institutions.

The UK confirmed today that it will co-host a Coronavirus Global Response Summit on 4 May, aiming to raise £7 billion to develop vaccines, treatments and tests to help end the coronavirus pandemic.

It was also announced that the UK will host the major the Global Vaccines Summit virtually on the 4th June, to ensure Gavi is fully funded and at the heart of our efforts to ensure equitable access for any vaccine.

Speaking to other leaders in a video message alongside the UN Secretary General and WHO Director General this afternoon First Secretary of State Dominic Raab said:

“The UK is already one of the biggest donors to the international COVID-19 response, and today we are proud to support the WHO’s Call to Action to bring global health partners together to accelerate progress toward a vaccine.”

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

“British expertise and funding is already leading efforts to find a coronavirus vaccine and treatments, which will save lives in the UK and around the world. Following calls from the Prime Minister it is great to see other nations working collectively in the fight against coronavirus. Making sure vaccines, treatments, technologies are available in the most vulnerable countries is vital to ending the pandemic – keeping us, and the rest of the world safe from future infections.”

“COV-access agreement”

The new commitment in the agreement follow continued international lobbying from the UK for more global co-operation on the pandemic, including at last week’s G20 finance and World Bank meetings, and includes pledges to:

Provide access to new treatments, technologies and vaccines across the world

Commit to an unprecedented level of international partnership on research and coordinate efforts to tackle the pandemic and reduce infections

Reach collective decisions on responding to the pandemic, recognising that the virus’ spread in one country can affect all countries
Learn from experience and adapt the global response

Be accountable, to the most vulnerable communities and the whole world.

As part of this agreement the WHO also announced the appointment of two new Special Envoys to lead global co-operation on vaccine research and help ensure equal access to any successful vaccines. Sir Andrew Witty, the British former head of global drugs giant GSK was appointed alongside Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Board Chair of Gavi.

A new “COV-access Hub” was also announced by the WHO to support co-operation on the research, development and production of new vaccines, treatments and technologies to fight coronavirus.

May 8, 2020
Department for International Development – 2020 Press Release on Global Vaccine Summit

Below is a press release issued by the Department for International Development on 24/04/2020.

The UK hosted Global Vaccine Summit on June 4 will now be an entirely virtual event.

The Summit is an important milestone to secure support for Gavi’s five-year strategy, which will immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives by 2025, and for Gavi’s vital work to strengthen health systems around the world and help to tackle coronavirus in some of the world’s poorest countries. This will help stop future waves of infection spreading globally, including coming to the UK.

The UK government and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are working with partners to finalise plans for the Summit programme and format, which will be shared with partners in due course.

May 8, 2020
Department for International Development – 2020 Press Release on Prime Minister’s Funding Announcement

Below is a press release issued by the Department for International Development on 06/03/2020.

The global race to find a vaccine for coronavirus will be bolstered by support announced by the Prime Minister today, funded by the UK’s international development budget.

Supported by UK funding, eight possible coronavirus vaccines are currently under development and efforts are being made to get any viable vaccines from sequencing of the virus to clinical testing in under a year – a record timeframe. Governments around the world could then work with pharmaceutical companies to get vaccines into production and use. Today’s additional support will bring the UK’s investment into COVID-19 research to £65 million.

UK experts are leading the scientific and medical response to the global coronavirus outbreak and the UK was one of the first countries to establish a laboratory test for the virus. However, no country has yet found a method of diagnosing coronavirus without sending samples to a lab for testing – a process that can take several days.

Today the Prime Minister visited Mologic lab in Bedfordshire which is using UK aid funding to develop rapid diagnostic test devices for coronavirus to allow medical professionals or potentially even individuals at home to identify the disease quickly without relying on specialist facilities. This will mean patients can be treated more quickly, reducing the risk of them passing the virus onto others and helping them to recover quickly. The lab is building on extensive experience creating similar tests for other infections.

Efforts to develop a diagnostic test form part of the Government’s work to limit the spread of the virus, investing in and informed by scientific research.

A rapid diagnostic test can also be used by countries around the world that are not currently able to diagnose the virus at all. Low-income countries without the medical infrastructure to conduct laboratory tests or who do not have access to the necessary reagents are not able to differentiate coronavirus from other common causes of fever such as other bacterial, viral and parasitic infections.

The majority of cases in those countries are therefore going unchecked, increasing the risk of the virus spreading both locally and around the world. To ensure access to the technology, the test will therefore be jointly manufactured in the UK and Senegal — the first time a diagnostic has been produced in the continent, supported by UK aid funding.

Today’s announcement builds on the plan set out by the Prime Minister earlier this week to tackle coronavirus in the UK. The Government is doing everything possible, based on the advice of world-leading scientific experts, to prepare for all eventualities. This plan has four strands – containing the virus, delaying its spread, researching its origins and cure, and mitigating the impact should the virus become more widespread.

Today’s funding package, which includes support for the World Health Organization’s Flash Appeal, will also help vulnerable countries prepare for the spread of the disease in other ways.

UK-funded infectious disease experts are working in developing countries which have large urban populations and transport links to the UK and to China and other countries experiencing large outbreaks. Experts will support countries to prepare for and respond to suspected cases, for example by creating effective isolation zones.

International efforts are being coordinated by a new UK Government Coronavirus International Taskforce, bringing together expertise from the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Coronavirus is the biggest threat in countries whose healthcare systems are unable to cope with large outbreaks. Ensuring those countries have mechanisms in place will prevent a surge of cases which would also present risks to us at home.

Today’s announcement brings the UK’s total support to fight the virus internationally to £91 million.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

Keeping the British people safe is my number one priority, and that’s why I’ve set out our four-part plan to contain, delay, mitigate and research coronavirus.

We are ensuring the country is prepared for the current outbreak, guided by the science at every stage. But we also need to invest now in researching the vaccines that could help prevent future outbreaks.

I’m very proud that UK experts – backed by government funding – are on the front line of global efforts to do just that.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

The UK is well-prepared to respond to potential cases of coronavirus at home, but a global response is needed to effectively combat the disease.

We are investing UK aid and using the best of British expertise and science to find new ways to vaccinate against, treat and diagnose the virus, and to support global efforts to prevent further outbreaks around the world.

Every action that we take to prevent the virus spreading makes the UK safer.

Government Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance said:

Rapid testing is going to be key to managing this outbreak, but ultimately vaccines are going to provide the long-term protection we need.

The UK has some of the world’s leading scientists and this money will help in our fight to tackle this new disease.

Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said:

The United Kingdom’s support for the global response to the new coronavirus outbreak will protect the health of people in many parts of the world, from assisting countries with fragile health systems to fuelling the fight to find a vaccine.

At this critical time in the battle against COVID-19, the WHO is grateful for the UK’s solidarity and commitment to keeping people safe at home and around the world.

It comes ahead of the UK hosting the “Global Vaccine Summit 2020” in June, demonstrating the UK’s leadership in global health security.

April 3, 2020
Department for International Development – 2020 Press Release on Supporting Poorest Countries with Coronavirus

Below is a press release issued by the Department for International Development on 11/03/2020.

Up to £150 million of UK aid funding announced in the Budget to help mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the world’s most vulnerable countries.

Vulnerable countries will be better protected from the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak thanks to support announced by the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in today’s budget.

Up to £150 million of new UK aid will go to the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) to help developing countries deal with the short term economic disruption caused by coronavirus, allowing them to focus their spending on tackling the outbreak.

Countries will receive support if they experience a severe decline in national income or falling government revenues as a result of coronavirus. This will help lessen economic disruption, particularly where vulnerable countries might otherwise default on debt repayments and trigger further economic impacts.

COVID-19 has already had a major impact on oil prices and global stock markets in recent weeks. The IMF fund is designed to lessen the disease’s future global economic impact, which will also safeguard the UK economy.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

The UK is yet again playing a crucial role delivering greater stability in the face of crisis. We are determined to lessen the economic effect of the coronavirus outbreak on developing countries, which in turn will reduce its global impact.

This support will make a very real difference to those countries which are most vulnerable to coronavirus. It will allow them to focus on battling this outbreak, which should be every country’s first priority.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak when delivering the budget today said:

The Governor of the Bank of England and I are in close contact with our counterparts, around the world, in the G7 and the G20.

And to support the global response, I’m also making new funding of £150m available for the IMF’s relief efforts.

The International Monetary Fund set up the CCRT in 2015 to cope with economic shocks caused by natural disasters or public health emergencies. It successfully helped Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea respond to the Ebola crisis in 2015. The UK was the first country to support this fund and is historically one of its largest contributors.

UK aid is already at the centre of the coronavirus response. Since the outbreak began £91 million of has been invested in the research of vaccines and diagnostic tests, and in supporting the World Health Organization and developing countries to prevent the virus spreading around the world. Today’s announcement brings the UK’s total commitment to the international coronavirus response to up to £241 million.

April 3, 2020
Department for International Development – 2020 Press Release on RAF Aid Delivery to Turkey

Below is a press release issued by the Department for International Development on 12/03/2020.

Vital humanitarian aid will provide much-needed relief amid worsening humanitarian crisis in Idlib.

The UK Government has delivered vital humanitarian aid to the Turkey-Syria border, which will provide much-needed relief and protection for Syrians amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Idlib.

An RAF C-17 carrying 37 tonnes of UK aid landed in Hatay, Turkey, yesterday afternoon. The supplies on board include tents to provide life-saving shelter, hygiene kits, blankets, water purification tablets, cooking equipment and lanterns for around 300 families who have been forced to flee their homes and seek safety in harsh conditions.

This comes as schools, nurseries and hospitals are targeted by Syrian regime bombing.

The aid flight is in addition to £89 million of UK aid for Syria – announced last week – to help protect victims of violence, which included tents, thermal blankets, clothing, food, clean water and medical supplies, among other measures.

The aid supplies are being distributed in the worst affected areas including Idlib in north west Syria, with the cooperation of the Turkish Red Crescent.

It comes as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace visited Ankara today to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, to discuss how the UK can further support Turkey, and those Syrians in desperate need. This follows the Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab’s meeting with his Turkish counterparts in Ankara last week to discuss the continuing violence in Syria and the UK’s support to the crisis.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

The people of Idlib have suffered enormously during this conflict and these crucial supplies delivered by our military will provide shelter for hundreds of families in desperate need.

We stand in solidarity with Turkey after the losses they have suffered, and the UK will do what we can to offer support.

For the sake of both nations, the wider region and security across the entire globe, the ceasefire in Idlib must continue to be respected.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

It is a tragedy that almost a million people – mostly women and children – have been forced to flee their homes in the past 100 days as the ruthless Assad regime and its Russian backers relentlessly bombed their homes and killed their families.

Too many innocent people are struggling to survive in freezing conditions without a roof over their head.

Through UK aid, delivered by our world-class troops, the British people are helping to save lives, boost regional security and stop the cruel suffering of defenceless Syrians in this warzone.

The UK is one of the largest bilateral donors to the Syria crisis, providing more than £3.1 billion to trusted partners in Syria and the region since 2011. From day one, we have been at the forefront of the humanitarian response providing more than 28 million food rations, 19 million medical check-ups and 12 million vaccines across Syria and the region.

The UK has also helped more than 140,000 people to get clean drinking water and provided psychosocial support to almost 28,000 people, including over 1,000 children.

Turkey is the largest refugee hosting country in the world. Working with our European partners, the UK has helped to support the education of more than 635,000 Syrian refugee children in Turkey and provided over 8 million primary healthcare consultations for the most vulnerable Syrian refugees to help alleviate pressure on Turkish communities and maintain regional security.

During his visit to the country, Mr Wallace will also meet other members of the Turkish government and lay a wreath at the Anitkabir Mausoleum, paying his respects to the founder of The Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

April 3, 2020
Department for International Development – 2020 Press Release on Tackling Global Fake News on Coronavirus

Below is a press release issued by the Department for International Development on 12/03/2020.

UK aid will fund new international push to challenge dangerous fake news about coronavirus.

Dangerous myths about coronavirus which are hampering the global fight against the disease will be challenged thanks to a new initiative backed by UK aid.

The support from the Department for International Development will challenge misinformation in South East Asia and Africa, which is then spreading worldwide, and direct people to the right advice to help stop the spread of the virus.

False claims and conspiracy theories have spread rapidly on social media, touting ‘cures’ like drinking bleach or rubbing mustard and garlic into your skin. These pose a serious risk to health and can speed up the spread of the virus, by stopping people taking simple practical, preventative steps like washing their hands.

DFID’s £500,000 support will go to the Humanitarian-to-Humanitarian (H2H) Network, which has extensive experience addressing the spread of misinformation during epidemics, for example following the 2015 Ebola outbreak.

The work of the H2H Network will complement UK initiatives by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the NHS to tackle misinformation online.

International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Misinformation harms us all. By tackling it at source we will help stop the spread of fake news – and coronavirus – worldwide, including within the UK.

H2H will work with partners BBC Media Action and Internews to create verified information in various languages to tackle specific mistruths spreading in South East Asia and Africa. Their work will also support journalists in these regions to write more accurately about the virus using information from the World Health Organization.

Support will also go to Translators without Borders, which monitors false information in various languages and translates validated content from WHO and other health agencies, and Evidence Aid which updates a database of research on diseases each day.

The initiative will analyse social media and online content to identify where the misinformation is coming from and how it is spreading – so victims of fake news can be sent the correct information and directed to official health advice.

H2H will also work with social media influencers – vloggers and bloggers – to help spread accurate health information and reach younger online audiences that are more susceptible to fake news.

Some of the social media influencers being engaged include:

Bianca Gonzalez, a health expert and YouTube vlogger from the Philippines with over 7 million followers on Twitter @iamsuperbianca

Dr Jahangir Kabir, a Bangladeshi health expert and popular TV presenter with over 1 million Facebook followers @DrJahangirkabircmc

@KlikDokter – An Indonesian health blog with over 4 million Facebook followers

Some of the more damaging mistruths being targeted include:

‘Miracle cures’ for the virus, such as drinking chlorine dioxide, an industrial bleach, or urine, eating garlic, gargling saltwater or spreading cow dung and mustard paste. In Myanmar, news websites have reported false claims supposedly from health officials, advising people to sleep next to chopped onions claiming this will “absorb the virus” or to drink ginger juice. It is also falsely claimed you cannot catch coronavirus if you have a mosquito bite. Scammers pretending to be health officials in Myanmar have been selling black pepper seeds as a cure.

Undermining health officials: In Tanzania, people have received a WhatsApp message claiming to be from the health ministry and telling them drinking warm water every few minutes will prevent infection. The exact same message has also appeared in French throughout West Africa, claiming to be from the Canadian Health Ministry. Messages like this are undermining the efforts of real health officials to contain the virus, damaging trust in official advice and confusing people.

Promoting violence: Rumours that the virus was created or spread deliberately have already led to reported attacks on Chinese nationals across South East Asia as well as in the UK. A video claiming to show Chinese officials shooting coronavirus victims and alleging tens of thousands were executed went viral on social media sites worldwide, after the celebrity sister of a prominent Bollywood actor in India shared them. The video was in fact edited from four completely unrelated clips, including one of Chinese police shooting a rabid dog.

Public Health England is regularly updating its advice on coronavirus, including how people can help stop the spread of infection. Individuals are also being advised to call NHS 111 or contact the NHS dedicated 111 online coronavirus service if they are concerned about any symptoms or any contact they may have had with someone who might be infected.

April 3, 2020