The outbreak of COVID-19 (also known as Coronavirus) has got the world hooked to news channels and other platforms to stay abreast with the latest developments on the virus. Whether it is Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, radio or even your ringtone, a colossal amount of information is fed on every platform to spread awareness on the novel Coronavirus and its preventive measures. So much so, that reading and hearing to the information have become an overwhelming experience. Yet, for the sake of the safety of our loved ones and ourselves, we are active participants in receiving and sharing updates on COVID-19. If like many, you are wondering on how to get hold of the latest, reliable information then continue to read ahead. These four platforms are not only providing updates on COVID-19, but the information is extremely interactive that grabs your attention completely, which is very important at the moment.

Washington Post: If you were one of those who thought that the novel Coronavirus would just touch the Indian shores and vanish but sudden growth in the number of virus suspects has got you worried; chances are you are very new to grasping information on Corona. In this case, we recommend you to read this fact-based, highly interactive article Why outbreaks like Coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” on Washington Post. The article describes the nuances of how the outbreak of Coronavirus started, picked up the pace and what is happening currently. All this information is presented in simple animation supported with text. And yes, this article is available for FREE read for all the viewers.

VMate: VMate is a popular short video platform in India and is also known as TikTok of rural India. Given its wide popularity across India even in the villages with the lowest population, VMate came up with an interesting way to deal with the fatal Coronavirus. VMate invited creators to film videos under the themes of ‘Corona Par Haavi’ and ‘Oh Na Na Corona’. The two themes have garnered more than 15,500 and 18,400 videos, respectively, with some of the creators giving informative tips in humorous ways. The platform also has a dedicated section on the issue, focused at providing necessary tips to people such as precautions they need to take. The platform is making its users aware of the different aspects of the menace.

TikTok: Globally popular short-video making platform has stepped up to supply reliable information to its users across the world. The app has created a dedicated section “COVID-19” to share real-time information on the number of cases and deaths due to the virus in the world and India. Further, the app has also shared an elaborated FAQs related to Coronavirus from WHO. To spread awareness on effective preventive measures as per the guidelines of WHO, TikTok has also created a video library on the platform. The information is easy to access, reliable and easy to share as well.

Facebook: More than any other medium, social media platforms are barraged with all kinds of details on COVID-19. Unfortunately, not all the information is true; in fact, many people are trying to use social media platforms to create panic and for defrauding people with counterfeited products to fight the virus. Amid all the fear and confusion, Facebook was quick to come up with a solution. With the help of a few technical integrations, Facebook is now equipped to provide an automatic pop-up featuring information on COVID-19 from WHO’s database for all the Coronavirus-related searches on its platform. The platform is focused on blocking hoaxes and misinformation.

Besides, other top tech firms such as Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter, Microsoft, along with Facebook, have come together to address the challenges related to misinformation related to COVID-19. These companies have released a joint statement on how they are deploying efforts and resources to ensure reliable and responsible communications during the times of crisis.

It is extremely important that we restrict ourselves only to trust the information from reliable sources. From a different perspective, COVID-19 may have impacted more than 1 million people globally until March 17, but its fear has affected almost everyone across the world. To refrain from undergoing unnecessary stress and for proper information, we must consume and share details wisely and optimistically. 

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