UK Column News UK Column News — 23rd March 2026
Mar 23, 2026
Dr Gary Sidley, retired NHS clinical psychologist, joins to discuss mental health, behavioural science and media responses to a meningitis cluster. He compares current messaging with COVID-era fear tactics. Conversations cover SAGE behavioural strategies, media framing, NHS symbolism and resilience tips for coping with alarmist coverage.
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Confusing Meningitis Messaging Fueled Fear
- Public health messaging can simultaneously claim an outbreak is both "explosive" and "low risk" creating confusion and fear.
- Brian Gerrish contrasts BBC headlines on the Kent meningitis cluster with official lines that the wider risk remains low, showing how tone drives perception.
SAGE Used Fear As A Policy Tool
- Government behavioural science used 'hard-hitting emotional messaging' to increase perceived personal threat during COVID.
- Brian Gerrish plays SAGE excerpts showing explicit strategy to raise fear and use media to change public behaviour.
Recent Exercises Rehearsed A Meningitis Scenario
- Recent public health exercises rehearsed meningitis-like scenarios before the Kent cluster, suggesting preparedness shaped messaging.
- Gary Sidley links Exercise Pegasus (Sep–Nov 2025) to scenario planning about an enterovirus that can cause meningitis.