29th September 2020 - Author & digital health engagement expert available for interview -info@literallypr.com

Good morning,
 
We are working with Burton Paul, the author of 'Is It Serious? Your guide to credible health information online,' who is keen to help people guide people during this confusing time of local and university lockdowns, ahead of Mental Health Day on 10th October, and with questions mounting regarding the new NHS Covid-19 App. Burton lives in Wales and works in London. He's a digital healthcare expert and is available for media interviews and editorial commissions on the topics of misinformation, understanding where to source credible guidance and support online, and lessons learned from the first lockdown as we enter a period of local lockdowns and a potential second national lockdown on the horizon.
 
We can send you a copy of Burton's book if you'd like to see it? 
 
I've included more information below.  

Thank you for your time, 
Helen Lewis 
Director - Literally PR 
www.literallypr.com 
07904801669 

Misinformation author-expert available for media interviews:
From mental health concerns for uni students ahead of World Mental Health Day (10th October), confusion around the Covid-19 App, and understanding how can we prevent the same misinformation mistakes going into this new phase of the pandemic

Burton Paul, digital health expert, author of ‘Is It Serious? Your Guide to Credible Health Information Online,' available for interview around the Government's announcements of new lockdown restrictions.

• How can people be smarter this time around in accessing reliable and credible factual information on the pandemic? What role will the new NHS App have?
• As the new restrictions look to be in place for up to six months, what are some of the best ways we can remain connected and engaged through social media, and not feel the panic and stress?
• What must digital and SOCIAL MEDIA companies be doing to be more proactive and preventative - than reactive - regarding the spread of misinformation?
• How can we prevent the same MISTAKES happening again (fake cures, bleach treatments etc)?

#EducateEmpowerProtect#SecondLockdownSupport#StopTheFakeNews

Burton Paul conducted a survey of 2000 British adults with YouGov in June 2020 around the spread of false information, fear and online health information ahead of a ‘second lockdown situation'. Burton is available to talk/write about the key findings of this survey as well as share his answers to those critical questions above!

False information & fake news found online

Just over a quarter (26%) of people get most of their coronavirus information from social media yet almost two-thirds (62%) admitted that they later discovered some of the information they'd read was untrue.

Social a source of anxiety

41% of people surveyed experienced a spike in anxiety levels in response to social media during the lockdown, 29% said it made them feel low, and incredibly, more than half (54%) have felt anxiety, low mood and panic in response to social media during the lockdown.

Support is out there! What can be done?
There are systems in place but most people are clueless about them - the global and UK certification standard for credible health information websites are HONcode and The Information Standard - 87% of people are not familiar with either. Yet, 91% said more should be done to educate, help and protect people on how to search for health information online. Burton Paul's second edition guide: Is It Serious? Your Guide to Credible Health Information Online is available to buy online.

The survey revealed people asking for help ahead of a second wave, as 91% stated, "Yes, more should be done to educate, help and protect people on how to search for health information online."As millions are turning online for news, health information and support after a new round of restrictions are put in place today (22^ndSeptember), author Burton Paul, is available for media comment and interviews regarding what more should and could be done as we enter this new phase in the pandemic, to help, educate and empower people to make more informed decisions online.

"Lockdown lessons can be learned but more must be done to educate and inform at this time,"says Burton.87% of people were not familiar with either a global or UK certification standard for credible health information websites such as HONcode and The Information Standard. 

Burton comments:"The public are more aware than ever of the need for better guidance, education, and understanding of how to judge correct, accurate and reliable health information online. In today's world, this need can become a matter of life and death, with the fake cure circulating online of toxic methanol curing Covid leading to hundreds of deaths, or the fake cure of drinking bleach as the miracle cure for coronavirus. From this latest poll, 62% have found information on social media they later found to be untrue - how many more did find misinformation, but have not been able to share this?"

The majority of people want to know how to be smarter online and one of the drivers of surrounds the mental ill health impact of false information, myths and rumours circulating online. Over 40 million people in the UK are on social media and the ‘Online Health Empowerment' survey found that 41% said that, during lockdown, social media sometimes raised their anxiety, and 29% said it made them at times feel low.

"The public want to learn more, they want to know how to protect themselves, and they want to have a guide. I want to give them one. I want everyone to be smart, savvy, knowledgeable, and be able to know what is credible, and what isn't."The survey results show 86% are calling for a guide to help them find accurate, reliable and credible health-related information online.Burton Paul's guide, Is It Serious? Your Guide To Credible Health Information Online' is available to buy online in paperback and ebook.

"We can't protect everyone, but we can teach people to protect themselves and their loved ones!" 

--Ends—

Helen Lewis -helenlewis@literallypr.com
Diana Ashlee -dianaashlee@literallypr.com

07904801669 / 07827959644

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Serious-Credible-Health-Information-Online/dp/1916118496

https://isitserious.org/coronavirus