With an aim to curb the spread of fake or misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday launched a messaging service that will provide information about the spread of the disease.
In collaboration with WhatsApp, the messaging service has the potential to reach 2 billion people and enables WHO to get information directly into the hands of the people that need it.
“This messaging service will provide latest news and information on coronavirus including details on symptoms and how people can protect themselves and others. It also provides the latest situation reports and numbers in real time to help government decision-makers protect the health of their populations,” said WHO in its post.
How can I avail the service?
The chatbot can be accessed at +41 22 501 76 55 on WhatsApp and users can start the conversation by messaging ‘hi’, prompting a menu of options that can help answer their questions about COVID-19.
Once you send the ‘Hi’ text you will get the following message.
Welcome to the World Health Organization
Get information and guidance from WHO regarding the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
What would you like to know about coronavirus?
Reply with a number (or emoji) at any time to get the latest information on the topic:
1. Latest numbers 🔢
2. Protect yourself 👍
3. Your questions answered❓
4. Mythbusters 🛑
5. Travel advice 🗺
6. News & Press 📰
7. Share ⏩
8. Donate now 🥰
The service responds to a wide variety of questions and is updated on a daily basis.
This latest launch follows the previous WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub, which was released last week. The tool was created in partnership with the WHO, UNICEF, and UNDP to offer Covid-19 guidance to professionals who use the messaging app on regular basis.