As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads, so do the fake news articles claiming to have the cure. It is crucial to have a trustworthy source for your pandemic news. The World Health Organization has come up with a way to provide the people with the news that they need in a familiar and straightforward way that we can trust WhatsApp.Many of us know WhatsApp as the social media app that we use to talk to our loved ones far away. With the new launch of the WHO WhatsApp group, the app has been turned into a secure and safe way to inform the public about the current situation. Start by clicking WHO Health Alert, then text the word in a WhatsApp message to get started. The service responds to a series of prompts and will be updated daily with the latest information. The WHO Health Alert will provide official information on topics such as how to protect yourself from infection, travel advice, and debunking Coronavirus myths.
The service is initially launching in English but will be available in all six United Nations
languages within the coming weeks (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish.) WhatsApp, in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UNDP, launched the WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub, to provide simple, actionable guidance for health workers, educators, community leaders, nonprofits, local governments and local businesses that rely on WhatsApp to communicate. The site also offers general tips and resources for users around the world to reduce the spread of rumors and connect with accurate health information.
WhatsApp also announced a $1M grant to the International Fact-Checking Network to support fact-checking for the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, to report on rumors that may be circulating on various messaging services including WhatsApp or SMS. Get connected with the app and keep up-to-date with COVID-19 news.
