Lateral thinking needed to reach minorities with coronavirus messaging, Maajid Nawaz says

2 August 2020, 15:32 | Updated: 2 August 2020, 16:51

Creative thinking needed to reach vulnerable communities with coronavirus messaging

By Seán Hickey

As it is reported that minorities aren't receiving government coronavirus messaging, Maajid Nawaz noted that we must think of better ways to reach these people.

After a Bradford native suggested that there was "a death on every street" in a Muslim majority area of the city from coronavirus, Maajid Nawaz saw clearly that there is a disconnect between minorities and the government's coronavirus messaging.

"When it's got that serious, we need to start thinking what better we can do to get the messaging out into those very vulnerable communities."

Maajid noted that these people that are being left behind by government messaging are the ones "helping keep the backbone of our economy ticking along because they're the ones on the front line, disproportionately."

"How do we get this messaging to them," he wondered.

Maajid recalled the way in which campaigning was done during the HIV crisis and how people of all backgrounds were educated promptly on how to protect themselves from the virus.

"We're in a situation now with coronavirus, can we now have a similar form of outreach," he said, suggesting schools, Churches and Mosques get involved in educating the public.

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

He went further to state that criminalising people that aren't wearing face masks won't work to fight the pandemic. "It will just be young black, young muslim men," that will be prosecuted in this case, similar to stop and search rules, Maajid argued.

"Disproportionately we will be stopped on the streets, we have the figures, we already know that happens."

Maajid insisted that "it's got to be a public education campaign because this thing will not go away," and he went further to suggest that the problem so far is that an over reliance on mainstream media is where we've fallen down in our method of teaching the public about Covid-19.

"That young lad sitting in a Grenfell-style tower block isn't going to watch BBC news to find out what the newest, latest rules are."

More Maajid Nawaz

See more More Maajid Nawaz

Maajid Nawaz blasts No10's alleged double standards on Covid rules

Maajid Nawaz blasts No10's alleged double standards on Covid rules

Maajid Nawaz's powerful reaction to 'woke' Christmas ban

Maajid Nawaz's powerful reaction to 'woke' Christmas ban

'Want to stop channel crossings? Stop invading foreign countries'

'Want to stop channel crossings? Stop invading foreign countries'

Maajid Nawaz: 'Tory sleaze the Achilles heel of government'

Maajid Nawaz: 'Tory sleaze the Achilles heel of government'

Exclusive
Whistleblower exposes UN leaks of Chinese dissident information

Whistleblower exposes UN leaks of Chinese dissident information

Maajid Nawaz hits back at Prince Charles' climate-call on the private sector

Maajid Nawaz hits back at Prince Charles' climate call on the private sector

Maajid Nawaz defends Jesy Nelson in 'blackfishing' row

Maajid Nawaz defends Jesy Nelson in 'blackfishing' row

Maajid Nawaz: Vetting voters for MP meetings 'further alienates' Brits

Maajid Nawaz: Vetting voters for MP meetings 'further alienates' Brits

Maajid Nawaz: 'Muslims in Southend-on-Sea know and love Sir David Amess'

Maajid Nawaz: Muslims in Southend-on-Sea know and love Sir David Amess

Iain Dale: Make Southend a city to honour Sir David Amess

Iain Dale: Make Southend a city to honour Sir David Amess

Maajid Nawaz backs calls to grant asylum seekers right to work

Maajid Nawaz backs calls to grant asylum seekers right to work

Chinese invasion of Taiwan will spark 'global conflict', Maajid Nawaz fears

Chinese invasion of Taiwan will spark 'global conflict', Maajid Nawaz fears

Maajid Nawaz: Jab deadline for care home workers will 'trigger' winter 'plan B'

Maajid Nawaz: Jab deadline for care home workers will 'trigger' winter 'plan B'

Maajid Nawaz: Troop deployment shows govt 'has monumentally failed' Britain

Maajid Nawaz: Troop deployment shows govt 'has monumentally failed' Britain

Maajid Nawaz: It's 'wrong' for Remainers to say 'I told you so' about lorry driver shortage

Maajid Nawaz: It's wrong for Remainers to say 'I told you so' about lorry driver shortage

Maajid Nawaz clashes with caller 'pinning' HGV driver shortage on Brexit

Maajid Nawaz clashes with caller 'pinning' HGV driver shortage on Brexit