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Given my research portfolio on viruses, I have served as an expert contact for measles in Europe (2018/19) and an Ebola outbreak (2019). I have represented Lancaster University on global media including BBC, CNN, SkyNews, GBE, France24 etc >600 times across 6 continents since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (see Additional Information, CV). I have answered live public questions on different matters around the pandemic, contributed in “round table conversations” to discuss complex issues, and sat with government officials, healthcare authorities, and WHO representatives to analyse different aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was a primary contact for BBC and CNN on vaccine development progress, performance, and public concerns. My comments and interviews have been quoted over 5000 times in media outlets internationally and have been read by over 4 million viewers.
I interacted, and continue to interact, with local communities and ethnic minorities to highlight the importance of vaccine and debunk myths around the COVID-19 pandemic. I visited places of worship across the UK along with NHS officials and lectured multiple times at Al Balagh Academy and British Islamic Association conferences. As a results, religious scholars and leaders understood the risk of SARS-COV-2 transmission during congregation and encouraged local communities to take up COVID-19 vaccine (see Additional Information, Statements in CV). Following my articles published by the Telegraph, I took part in a debate with 30 journalists, organised by Ruth Peacock of the Religion Media Centre, against conspiracy theories and anti-vaxxers. I solely engaged and answered questions from >100 students during an “In Conversation” program at Grizedale College and delivered lectures to students at “Bolton Boys School” on COVID-19. I have presented Lancaster University at Lancashire Innovation Festival 2021, hosted by Prof Jo Rycroft-Malone.
Breakdown of Lancaster University presentation on national and international levels:
