We have been reminded time and again that the biggest safeguard against Covid-19 aka Coronavirus is to stay put within our homes. But same is not the case with hundreds of corona warriors, who have no option but to report to their duties amid the grave risks and health hazards posed by the pandemic. Some of such individuals, hailing from different streams, have also extensively used the world of social media, especially short video apps like VMate, to educate people with their knowledge and expertise. Today when mankind is facing its biggest challenge in modern history, short videos apps have emerged as a tool that can do much beyond just providing users their daily dose of entertainment. Let’s take a look at how corona warriors from varied streams are making the most of short video app VMate during the ongoing crisis.
Frontline Warriors – Doctors:
Even at the onset of the pandemic outbreak and national lockdown, VMate had roped in some doctors to bust myths around and raise awareness about the novel virus. Today when we are in the third leg of the lockdown, the list has just gotten bigger, with a number of doctors and other medical professionals from different parts of the country joining the bandwagon. Some doctors such as Dr Khushboo Tanwar from Faridabad and Chitra Tamta from Nainital have used the app to inform people against safeguards like right use of mask, precautions to take before cooking vegetables or eating fruits, etc. A few others have used the wide reach of the app to warn people against getting in long queues outside liquor shops, as doing so could cause grave health hazards.
At present when even OPDs and clinics remain closed at several places, some medical professionals are taking the short video route to provide healthcare information unrelated to Covid-19, such as tips for wellbeing of digestive systems and pain-relieving exercises, which are among the most common problems that people are facing in the absence of access to their regular physicians.
Men in Uniform:
Several policemen have also converged on VMate to inform people about the guidelines and directives being issued at the administration level. Since the cops are working on ground zero and are well acquainted with the grassroot situation, they are making people aware and disseminating the same among millions of short video users. Apart from this, the cops are also showcasing their creative side by spreading message of positivity through poetries and couplets. Manjeet Patel, a policeman from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, posted a video wherein he recited an Urdu couplet:
Main khairiyat se hun, tum khairiyat se rehna
Main aapke liye bahar hun, tum ghar mein rehna
kisi ke haath ko chhoona nahi, lekin kisi ka saath chhodna nahi
koi bhi ho aapke pados mein takleef mein, toh mooh apna modna nahi
This roughly translates to “I am fine, you too remain fine. I am out of my home for you, but you please stay at your home. Don’t touch anyone’s hand but don’t stop backing them either. If you find anyone in trouble in your neighbourhood, do not turn your back towards them.”
Similarly, another cop, Dheeraj Kumar from Unnao posted a video urging people to just stay at home to safeguard self from corona.
The fourth pillar – Media/Journalists:
Several leading publications and regional media houses have also taken to VMate to report on corona-related issues. The leading names among them are Dainik Jagran, Punjab Kesari, Khabar Tak, Desi Khabrein, MJMedia, Chhattisgarh Khabri and Viral Khabar.
The list of unsung warriors also includes those journalists/reporters who are bringing ground zero reports from interior and remote parts of the country. With lesser takers in the mainstream media for reports from these regions, these journalists have resorted to short video apps to disseminate news stories among millions. Hareet, a reporter from Panipat in Haryana and a creator on VMate, shared reports highlighting the woes and misery of migrant workers who are stranded and deprived of basic necessities like food and drinking water. What’s more heart breaking is that there are kids as little as 5-year-old who are stranded.
The silver lining here is that some journalists are increasingly using the app to report positive news items and stories from different regions. For instance, a reporter named OP Gupta, from Gorakhpur shared a video where residents of Chauri Chaura can be seen felicitating police personnel. Similarly, a female reporter from Gautam Buddh Nagar talked about a unique wedding in Saharanpur that took place during lockdown and no norms were violated.
The efforts being made by these unsung heroes in this hour of crisis cannot be overlooked. They are not just keeping us informed, but also giving a hope that the road ahead does not meet a dead end, and that there’s certainly some light at the end of the tunnel.
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