The local NHS has bought together NHS doctors and public health to talk about misinformation about coronavirus on Tuesday 29 September, from 6 to 7.30pm on NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Facebook page www.facebook.com/nhsleeds
The speakers for the evening are Dr Mo Sattar, Dr Andrew Lee, Dr Mizanul Hoque, and Dr Najeeb Rahman. This first session is part of a number of online health education sessions that the CCG will be looking to hold in response to feedback from local people looking for trusted information online.
Dr Mohammed Sattar, GP in Leeds, said: “There’s a lot of misinformation about coronavirus, you hear different things from a number of sources and feel overwhelmed with so much information that you don’t know what to believe.
“The purpose of this Facebook Live session is to explore some of that misinformation, this includes social distancing, how you can reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus, when to get tested and myth busting. We want people to hear what GPs and other health professionals are saying to take away that learning, and to share with family, friends and people within their communities.
“There’s so much information on social media, some of it which is true and some of it isn’t. Some of us will take in what’s being said on the news whether this is in England or your home country. However, we need to feel assured that the information we hear and read is accurate and reliable. Having this live session, we’re hoping to uncover some of the information which may be misleading and inaccurate.”
Dr Jason Broch, GP and Clinical Chair at NHS Leeds CCG, said: “By running the Facebook Live session we’re hoping to provide misinformation about coronavirus.
“It’s an opportunity for people learn more and they can submit their questions to the speakers in advance or on the day of the live session. I would strongly encourage Leeds residents to join the session, we can only overcome misinformation about coronavirus if we hear the truth from healthcare professionals who will give advice in line with the current government guidelines. Visit the NHS website which has the most up to date and accurate information about coronavirus.
“Over the coming months we will be looking to deliver more of these sessions, this will include winter health and cancer signs and symptoms, as well as prevention.”
Join the Facebook Live session on Tuesday 29 September, from 6 to 7.30pm on NHS Leeds CCG Facebook page www.facebook.com/nhsleeds
Questions to the speakers can be sent in advance of the live session, they can be sent by email leedsccg.comms@nhs.net or by Facebook www.facebook.com/nhsleeds or Twitter https://twitter.com/nhsleeds
